Box Score

The Malone University baseball team posted a hard-fought 4-3 victory at Thurman Munson Stadium on Sunday in the third and final game of its weekend series with NCAA Division II #19 Ashland University.

After splitting a doubleheader with the Eagles on Saturday, Malone secured the series win by notching the one-run triumph on Sunday.  The Pioneers, winners of seven of their last 10 games, have posted a 2-1 mark in each of their last three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series to improve their record to 16-21 overall and 9-15 in the GLIAC.  Ashland, meanwhile, slipped to 27-12 overall and 15-8 in the conference following Sunday's narrow defeat.

Malone jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as shortstop Bryce Miller led off the bottom of the first with a single, moved to third on a single down the rightfield line by third baseman Bob Suitca and then crossed the plate when catcher Hayden Mobley lifted a sacrifice fly to right.

The score then remained at 1-0 until the top of the sixth when Ashland designated hitter Mackenzie Hampshire knotted things up with a two-out RBI double down the leftfield line.

The Pioneers managed to regain the lead with a solo run in the bottom of the sixth.  Suitca led off the frame with a single to rightfield.  He then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mobley before later crossing the plate on a two-out RBI single to center by designated hitter Logan Gray.

The Eagles evened things up once again in the top of the seventh.  Catcher John Broll started things off with a one-out walk.  He then stole second before coming home to score Ashland's second run of the game on a two-out RBI single to right by shortstop Austin Walts.

Malone answered right back in the bottom of the inning, though, plating two more runs to make the score 4-2.  Second baseman Tyler Eagon got things going with a double down the leftfield line and then moved to third on a bunt single by centerfielder Daulton Ritter.  Miller then lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Eagon and moving Ritter to second.  Following a fly-out to right, Ashland opted to intentionally walk Suitca, putting runners on first and second with two outs.  Mobley then stepped to the plate and ripped an RBI single to left, giving the Pioneers a two-run cushion.

Ashland would load the bases with no one out in the top of the eighth, but Malone closer Jesse Coblentz managed to limit the damage, allowing just one run to score after inducing a 6-4-3 double play and a pop-out to second.

Coblentz then finished things off in the ninth, working a 1-2-3 inning to preserve the 4-3 win and pick up his fourth save of the year.

Right-handed pitcher Taylore Baker started on the mound for Malone and worked the first 6.2 innings, surrendering just two runs on four hits.  Reliever Jordan Booth picked up the win in relief (1-1) after recording the final out in the seventh inning.

The Pioneers registered 11 hits in the contest as Suitca went 3-for-3 with one run scored.  Mobley tallied two hits in two at-bats, driving in the Pioneers' first and last runs of the game.  Gray also posted two hits, ripping a lead-off double in the ninth to go with his RBI single in the sixth.

Malone will be back in action on Tuesday at Thurman Munson Stadium with an 11:00 a.m. non-conference twinbill against Baldwin Wallace University.