Box Score
The Malone University baseball team rallied for a 7-6 home win on Wednesday afternoon in a rain-shortened contest against Ohio Dominican University.
Down 5-2 early, the Pioneers (11-18 overall, 4-12 GLIAC) fought back to take a 7-5 lead by plating five runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Panthers (12-17 overall, 8-7 GLIAC) got one run back in the top of the fifth, but were unable to even score before heavy rain and thunderstorms hit the Stark County area at the start of the sixth inning, forcing the game to be called.
Malone and Ohio Dominican were originally slated to play a doubleheader on Wednesday, starting at 1:00 p.m. However, rain showers prevented baseball to be played until about 3:20 p.m. With the threat of rain still looming for later in the day, the teams opted to try and complete a single, nine-inning contest rather than two seven-inning games. Five innings were then completed before the wet weather struck again.
The Panthers brought home three runs in the top of the first inning with the help of five walks and a single to left-center. ODU then tacked on another run in the second before Malone managed to get on the scoreboard with solo runs in the bottom of the second and bottom of the third.
Malone then made its big push in the fourth, pulling to within 5-4 on RBI singles by shortstop
Bryce Miller and rightfielder
Michael Chack. Catcher
Hayden Mobley knotted the score later in the frame on a two-out single to left. First baseman
Jon Crank then stepped to the plate and drove a two-run single, putting the Pioneers on top 7-5.
ODU designated hitter Anthony Raschilla made it 7-6 with an RBI double to left in the top of the fifth. The Panthers would then load the bases with two outs, but Pioneer starting pitcher
Taylore Baker was able to preserve the one-run advantage, inducing a fly out to right to bring the frame to a close.
Baker earned his second victory of the year (2-2) after tossing all five innings, surrendering six runs (four earned) on five hits.
Chack tallied two of the Pioneers' nine hits on the afternoon while also scoring two runs.