Game 1 Box Score  |  Game 2 Box Score

The Malone University baseball team picked up a pair of victories on Wednesday afternoon in its road doubleheader at NCAA Division II Salem International (WV) University.  The Pioneers cranked three home runs en route to a 20-2 blowout win in game one.  Malone then held off a late Tiger rally to pocket a 5-4 triumph in the finale.

The Pioneers, winners of 11 of their last 12 contests, improved to 18-14 overall following Wednesday's doubleheader sweep.  Salem International, meanwhile, slipped to 4-34.

Malone will be back in action over the weekend with a four-game series against Notre Dame College.  The Pioneers will host the Falcons in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Thurman Munson Stadium on Friday.  The two teams will then square off again in a 1:00 p.m. twinbill on Saturday, this time at Pipeyard Stadium in Lorain, Ohio.

Game One Recap
A three-run double by Pioneer second baseman Logan Gray helped Malone grab a 4-0 advantage in the top of the first inning of the opener.  The Pioneers then batted around in two of the next three frames, adding seven runs in the second inning and eight more runs in the fourth to blow the contest open. 

Third baseman Bob Suitca and catcher T.J. Rosenberg got things going in the second with back-to-back RBI singles.  Gray and designated hitter Tyler Adkins then clubbed back-to-back home runs - Gray' with a three-run shot and Adkins with a solo drive over the fence.

Malone sent 12 batters to the plate in the fourth.  Suitca led off the inning with his second home run of the year.  Rosenberg, Adkins and first baseman Matt Anderson all added RBI base hits later in the inning to push the Pioneer advantage to 19-0. 

A solo homer and an RBI single got Salem International on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth before Suitca completed the scoring in the top of the sixth with a two-out RBI single.

Starting pitcher Tyler Newhart picked up the win, improving to  4-1 after scattering eight hits and surrendering two runs (one earned) over five innings of work.

Anderson went 4-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored.  Suitca, Rosenberg and Adkins all added three hits apiece as Malone posted its highest total for runs scored since March 12, 2010 during a 20-1 victory over Trinity International (IL) University.

Game Two Recap
The Pioneers again jumped out to an early lead in game two, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning.  Shortstop Joe Goddard delivered the big hit for Malone in the second, driving in a pair with a double to rightfield.

Salem International managed to cut the deficit to 3-2 with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the second.

Centerfielder Sean Gorby made it 4-2 in the top of the fifth after leading off the frame with a double and then later coming home to score on a triple down the rightfield line by Rosenberg.

The Tigers trimmed the margin to 4-3 with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the inning.  Malone then managed to restore its two-run cushion in the top of the sixth when rightfielder Marc Adams led off the frame with his second homer of the season.

However, Salem International refused to surrender, pulling to within 5-4 in the bottom of the inning on a Pioneer error.  With two outs in the sixth and a runner on second, reliever Jesse Coblentz then entered the game and brought the inning to a close after inducing the next batter to tap a grounder back to the mound.

Reliever Nate Morrison then entered in the seventh, working around a two-out single to preserve the 5-4 victory and earn his third save of the year. 

Starting pitcher Jack McDonald tallied his first win of the season (1-2) after tossing the first 5.2 innings, surrendering four runs (one earned) on eight hits.

Rosenberg and first baseman Michael Chack each posted two hits apiece to lead the way for the Pioneer offense in game two.