Box Score

The Malone University baseball team captured the 2012 NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) East Region Title on Friday afternoon at Thurman Munson Stadium with an 8-5 win over Nyack (NY) College. The Pioneers secured an automatic bid to next week's NCCAA World Series with the victory while also giving ninth-year head coach Tom Crank his 300th career win.

Malone (31-21 overall) and the nine other World Series qualifiers will open play at the national event with pool-play games on Wednesday and Thursday (May 16-17).  The top two teams from each of the five-team pools will then move on to compete in the semifinals and finals on Friday and Saturday (May 18-19).  The host site for the World Series wiil be Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio.  Seeding, game times and more NCCAA World Series information will likely be available on Monday.

Crank, now in his ninth season as Malone's head coach, has compiled a 300-188-1 career record.  His win total is second on the Pioneer baseball program's all-time list only to legendary head coach Bob Starcher, who registered a 521-330-11 mark in 23 seasons at Malone.

Nyack (25-25) earned a spot in Friday afternoon's regional championship game after rallying for a 6-5 victory over Houghton College in Friday morning's elimination contest.

The Warriors then grabbed an early 1-0 lead over the Pioneers in the championship game, plating a run in the top of the third inning on a two-out RBI single by centerfielder John Kennedy.

An RBI fielder's choice by centerfielder Sam Craciun knotted things up at 1-1 in the bottom of the third before Malone pulled ahead with a four-run fourth.  The Pioneers opened the big inning with four consecutive base hits.  Third baseman Bob Suitca and designated hitter Frank Dufour got things started with a single and double, respectively.  An infield single by catcher T.J. Rosenberg put Malone in front 2-1 and leftfielder Michael Chack then cleared the bases by blasting a triple into the right-centerfield gap.  Nyack retired the next two batters of the inning before Craciun came through again, chasing home the fourth run of the inning with another triple to right-center.

An RBI groundout pulled Nyack to within 5-2 in the top of the sixth before Malone answered with three more runs in the bottom of the inning.  First baseman Matt Anderson drove in the first run with a double to left-center.  Second baseman Logan Gray followed with an RBI single.  Suitca then closed out the Pioneer scoring by lifting a sacrifice fly to center.

Trailing 8-2, the Warriors refused to surrender, bringing home three runs in the top of the seventh.  However, Nyack was unable to complete the comeback as reliever Nate Morrison came on to record the final three outs.

Senior right-hander Tyler Newhart started on the mound and picked up the victory (7-1) after tossing the first six innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on five hits.  Kevin Earlie started and took the loss (8-5) after working the first four innings for the Warriors.

The Pioneers notched 11 hits in the contest with nine different Malone players posting at least one hit apiece.  Dufour and Rosenberg led the way, each tallying two hits and one run scored.