Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

Competing in the 10-team NCCAA World Series in Mason, Ohio, the Malone University baseball team suffered a pair of losses during the opening day of the event on Wednesday.

In their first contest of the day, the #6 seeded Pioneers lost to last year's NCCAA World Series champion and current #3 seed Oklahoma Wesleyan University by the score of 8-0. Then, in its second game later that evening, Malone fell to #2 California Baptist University 3-1.

With the two losses, Malone's record slipped to 31-23 on the season.  After defeating the Pioneers, Oklahoma Wesleyan improved to 39-21  while Cal Baptist raised its record to 40-12 after the win over Malone.

In the pool play format, the 10 teams are divided into two 5-team pools and each team is guaranteed at least four games, playing every other team in their respective pool.  The top two teams in each pool will advance to the semifinal contests on Friday afternoon.  The championship game is set for Saturday morning.

On Thursday, Malone will play #7 Bluefield (VA) College at 11:00 a.m. in its third contest of the event.  Then, on Friday, the Pioneers will close out pool play by taking on #10 Mid-Continent (KY) University at 1:00 p.m.

NCCAA World Series Website  |  Tournament Bracket (pdf)

Game One Recap
In the 8-0 win for Oklahoma Wesleyan, the Eagles scored four runs in the top of the third inning and then added another four in the top of the fourth.  OWU recorded 10 hits in the contest while Malone was only able to collect two hits - a fourth inning single by leftifielder Michael Chack and a sixth-inning single by catcher T.J. Rosenberg.  Each team committed one error.  Pioneer starter Jared Messer suffered the loss, dropping to 9-4 on the year after tossing the first four innings.  Pitcher Dustin Phelps earned the shutout victory for the Eagles.

Game Two Recap
A pitcher's duel ensued in game two as Pioneer starter Alex Haines allowed just three hits through his first five scoreless innings on the mound.  Malone had provided a 1-0 lead for Haines through those five innings as the Pioneers pocketed their lone run in the top of the first inning on an RBI single down the right field line by second baseman Logan Gray that scored leftfielder Sam Craciun who had led off the game with a double.

Malone was not able to plate a run in the top of the sixth and held on to the 1-0 advantage.  The bottom half of the sixth inning was the key frame for the Lancers, though, as they collected three runs in the inning (on two additional hits allowed and one error) to take a 3-1 lead over the Pioneers.

Things looked promising in the top of the seventh for Malone as the first two batters reached base with designated hitter Michael Chack earning a walk and rightfielder Marc Adams reaching first on a fielder's choice after a throwing error by CBU left Chack on second.  But a heartbreaking double play followed as shortstop Kyle Sprague lined out to the centerfielder, who threw to second base to put out Chack.  With a man on first and now two outs, Craciun grounded out to the Lancer third baseman to end the contest in favor of CBU by the final score of 3-1.

In six innings of complete-game work, Haines scattered five hits and allowed just two earned runs (as the additional run was unearned).  In addition, he struck out nine batters while walking four.  With the loss, Haines dropped to 3-4 on the year while CBU starter Patrick Smith, who tossed a complete game as well while allowing five hits, improved to 9-2 on the year.

Craciun led the Malone offense as he went two-for-four at the plate while three other Pioneers, Gray, third baseman Bob Suitca and catcher T.J. Rosenberg, had one hit each.