Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Malone University baseball team dropped both games of its Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Wayne State (MI) University on Tuesday afternoon, falling 6-1 in the opener and 6-5 in the finale.

Following Tuesday's action, the Pioneers slipped to 9-15 overall and 2-9 in the GLIAC while the Warriors improved to 15-10 overall and 6-4 in the conference.

The two squads will conclude their three-game series on Wednesday with a single, nine-inning game at 12:00 p.m. *The start time for Wednesday's game was originally slated for 2:00 p.m.*

Game One Recap
Wayne State jumped out to an early lead in the opener, scoring four runs in the bottom of the second inning. 

Malone got on the scoreboard in the top of the third when first baseman Michael Chack lifted a sacrifice fly to rightfield.  However, this was all the offense the Pioneers could muster against Warrior starting pitcher Brandyn Hall.  The freshman right-hander limited Malone to three hits and one run over the first six innings.

Wayne State would tack on two additional runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the contest out of reach. 

Right-hander Jared Messer went the distance on the mound for the Pioneers and suffered the loss (2-3) after giving up the six runs (five earned) on eight hits.

Third baseman Bob Suitca paced the Malone offense, going 2-for-2 with a walk.

Game Two Recap
A two-run single in the bottom of the first inning gave the Warriors the early advantage in game two.  The Pioneers responded with three runs in the top of the second.  Rightfielder Rich Mast brought home the first run with an RBI groundout.  Chack then delivered a two-out, two-run single later in the inning to put Malone in front 3-2. 

Back-to-back two-out base hits brought home two runs for the Warriors in the bottom of the second, but the Pioneers answered right back in the top of the third, tying the score on an RBI single by centerfielder Daulton Ritter and then pulling ahead on a Wayne State error.

The Warriors evened the score at 5-5 in the fifth on a two-out RBI double by second baseman A.J. Matos.  Wayne State then took the lead for good in the sixth with a lead-off walk followed by a single and Malone throwing error.

A pair of walks and a wild pitch put Pioneers on second and third with one out in the top of the seventh, but Warrior closer Clayton Ruch punched out the next two Malone batters - one looking and one swinging - to cement the 6-5 victory and earn his sixth save of the season.

Taylore Baker started on the mound for the Pioneers, tossing the first three innings.  Reliever Jordan Booth took the loss (0-1) after surrendering the final two runs (only one of which was earned).

Taylor Horn tossed three innings of relief to earn the win (1-0) for WSU.  Chack and Ritter each posted two hits to lead the way for the Pioneer offense.