Box Score

The Malone University baseball team posted a 3-2 victory on Sunday afternoon at Thurman Munson Stadium in the final contest of its three-game series vs. Saginaw Valley State (MI) University.

The Pioneers batted first in the nine-inning affair due to the fact that the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) game was originally slated to be played at Saginaw Valley State.

The Cardinals grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning before Malone answered back with three runs in the top of the third.  Centerfielder Daulton Ritter and shortstop Bryce Miller got the frame started with consecutive singles.  A sacrifice bunt by rightfielder Michael Chack moved the runners to second and third before third baseman Bob Suitca got the Pioneers on the scoreboard by lifting a sacrifice fly to center.

A SVSU error allowed the second run of the inning to score before first baseman Jon Crank lined an RBI single to right to put Malone in front 3-1.

The score then remained at 3-1 until the bottom of the eighth when Cardinal catcher Chet LaFave ripped a two-out RBI double down the leftfield line.

However, the Cardinals were unable to complete the comeback as Pioneer closer Jesse Coblentz came on to retire the next batter of the eighth inning on flyout to right.  Coblentz then worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to preserve the 3-2 win and pick up his third save of the year.

Malone starting pitcher Taylore Baker earned his third victory of the year (3-1) after tossing the first seven innings, limiting the Cardinals to one unearned run on five hits.

The Pioneers will be back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Ohio Dominican University for 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.