Box Score

The Malone University baseball team notched six runs in the first inning and never looked back en route to a convincing 11-0 win in its season finale against  the University of Findlay at Thurman Munson Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Prior to the start of the contest, the Pioneers took time to honor their longtime former head coach, the late Bob Starcher.  Several members of Bob's family were in attendance for the 10th annual Starcher Memorial Day festivities.  In addition, the Starcher Memorial Scholarship winners were announced.  Michael Chack and Logan Gray shared the baseball award.  The male athlete distincition went to cross country runner Nick Fresenko while volleyball player Kimberly McCracken received the female athlete honor.

Malone was able to take command early on in the game as the first six hitters in the Pioneer line-up all recorded base hits in the bottom of the first inning.  Up 6-0, Malone then tacked on three runs in the second, one run in the fifth and one run in the eighth.

Three senior pitchers combined for the nine-inning shutout.  Right-hander Jared Messer started the game and tossed the first 7.1 innings to pick up his sixth victory of the season (6-4).  Messer allowed just three hits, walked none and struck out eight with the final punchout coming against the last batter he faced.  David Wright then came on to retire the next two batters of the eighth inning and Jordan Booth followed with a scoreless ninth to put the game away.

The Pioneers piled up 15 base hits in the contest as 11 different players tallied at least one hit.  Chack, shortstop Bryce Miller, catcher Hayden Mobley and leftfielder Keanan Locke all posted two hits apiece.  Locke and Gray both contributed three RBI's as Locke posted an RBI groundout in the first and two-run single in the second while Gray recorded a two-run single in the first and a sacrifice fly in the second.  Senior third baseman Bob Suitca went 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored to end his career on a 12-game hitting streak.

Senior pitchers Jesse Coblentz and Alex Alex Haines even got in on the offensive action as pinch hitters in the eighth.  Coblentz lined a single to center in his first at-bat of the season.  Haines also made the most of his opportunity, lifting a sacrifice fly to right in his first career plate appearance.

With the three-game series sweep of Findlay, Malone ended the year with a final overall record of 22-26, including a 15-18 mark in the GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).

Senior Notes:  Messer wrapped the year as the Pioneers' leader in wins, earned run average (2.70), strikeouts (66), and innings pitched (76.2)...He concluded his stellar four-year Malone career with a 27-15 record and a 2.85 ERA, finishing three victories shy of tying the Pioneers' all-time record.  In 297 career innings pitched, Messer tossed 21 complete games, struck out 255 batters and limited opponents to a .245 average...Haines compiled a 13-12 career mark with a 4.64 ERA and 161 strikeouts...Suitca's .419 batting average led the GLIAC in 2013...In three years at Malone, Suitca posted a 372 average with 12 homers and 108 RBI's....Coblentz compiled a 9-6 career record with 3.30 ERA and 10 saves...Booth made 18 career relief appearances, tallying a 2-1 record....Wright made seven relief appearances In his first year at Malone after transferring from Kent State University,.