Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Malone University baseball team (5-2) tallied a 1-1 record in a pair of games against Morningside (IA) College (5-9) on Tuesday at the Tucson Invitational.
 
The Pioneers edged the Mustangs 4-3 in the first game behind multi-hit games from sophomore Hayden Mobley and freshman Daulton Ritter. The Mustangs drew first blood in the contest by plating three runs in the top half of the third. However, Malone returned the favor in the bottom half of the inning, plating three runs thanks to some fine table setting from the bottom of their order. Mobley, sophomore Tyler Eagon, and Ritter, the 7-8-9 hitters, opened the inning with three consecutive singles. A walk to freshman Austin Pachan, an RBI groundout from freshman Bryce Miller and a sacrifice fly from senior Bob Suitca tied the game up at 3-3.
 
The trio of Mobley, Eagon and Ritter would team up once again in the bottom of the fourth to manufacture the winning run. Mobley led off the inning with a single, moved over to second on an Eagon sacrifice bunt, then came home to score on an RBI single from Ritter.
 
Sophomore relief pitcher Brad Beachy made sure that was all the offense Malone would need. Beachy replaced freshman starter Gary Lawrence in the fifth inning, yielding only one hit and one walk in 2 2/3 innings to close out the game. The only trouble he faced came in the fifth inning but he was bailed out by some strong defensive work from Ritter. With a runner on third and one out, the Mustangs lifted a fly ball to center field. Ritter secured the catch and threw a strike to home plate to cut down the tying run.
 
Beachy retired the first two hitters he faced in the seventh inning before allowing the tying run to reach base with a two-out single. However, the game ended when the runner was thrown out by Mobley, as he tried to steal second to get into scoring position.
 
Lawrence earned the win in his first career appearance giving up three runs, all earned, on five hits in 4 1/3 innings.
 
Mobley and Ritter combined to go 4-for-5 with three runs scored.
 
In the second game, Morningside used a nine run first inning to put the Pioneers in an insurmountable hole, eventually holding on for an 11-5 win.
 
The Pioneers opened the scoring in the first frame when Suitca singled home Pachan. However, the Mustangs answered with nine runs on just three hits in the next half inning to seize a commanding lead. Junior starter Jordan Fedor suffered the loss after walking three and hitting three others in the inning.
 
Malone found hope in the third inning cutting, the eight run deficit in half by scoring four runs. Mobley had the key hit in the inning, a two-run double.
 
Unfortunately, the Pioneers couldn't muster enough offense to threaten down the stretch.
 
Sophomore Frank Dufour and redshirt freshman Matt Davis both went 2-for-4 in the game with Davis adding an RBI.  Junior Jordan Booth pitched well in relief of Fedor, surrendering two runs in 5 1/3.