Malone vs. Bemidji State Box Score  |  Malone vs. Arizona Christian Box Score

The Malone University baseball team posted a 1-1 record on Tuesday in a pair of nine-inning games at the RussMatt Invitational in Phoenix, Arizona.  The Pioneers suffered a 15-14 loss to Bemedji State (MN) University in the opener before bouncing back in game two to register a 3-1 triumph at Arizona Christian University.

Malone's overall record moved to 5-3 following Tuesday's games.  Bemedji State improved to 5-3 while Arizona Christian had its eight-game winning streak snapped, falling to 12-10.

In Tuesday's opener, the Beavers plated three runs in the top of the ninth inning to rally back from a 14-12 deficit.  A triple by catcher T.J. Rosenberg put the tying run on third base with one out in the bottom of the inning but Bemidji State managed to strike out the next two batters to preserve the victory.

The two teams exploded for a combined total of 16 runs through the first three innings.  Bemidji State entered the seventh inning holding a 12-10 advantage but the Pioneers managed to push four runs across the plate in the bottom of the frame to grab the 14-12 lead.

The top three hitters in the Malone line-up combined for 11 hits in the contest.  Leadoff hitter Joe Goddard went 3-for-6 with three runs scored.  First baseman Matt Anderson was 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBI's while leftfielder Michael Chack added four hits in six at-bats with four runs batted in.

Second baseman Logan Gray also had an impressive performance at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a two-run triple in the first, a sacrifice fly in the second and a two-out single in the sixth.  Rosenberg and outfielder Sean Gorby each added two hits apiece.   Malone, which used five different pitchers, issued a season-high 13 walks in the high-scoring affair.

Right-handed starting pitcher Jared Messer led the way in the second game of the day, picking up his second win of the year after limiting the Firestorm to one unearned run on six hits over the first six innings.  Closer Jesse Coblentz then picked up where Messer left off, retiring the final nine Arizona Christian batters of the game in order to preserve the Malone victory.

The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the top of the second inning.  The Firestorm cut the deficit in half with an unearned score in the bottom of the fourth before Malone tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fifth.

Leftfielder Sam Craciun paced the Malone offense wtith two hits in four at-bats.

Malone will return to action on Wednesday with two more games at Arizona Christian, starting at 12:00 p.m. MST (2:00 p.m. EST).