Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Malone University baseball team picked up a pair of non-conference victories on Monday over Salem International (WV) University, notching a 7-4 triumph in game one before pulling out a thrilling 3-2 win in the 15-inning finale.

The contests were originally scheduled to be played at SIU but were moved to Mount Vernon Nazarene University's turf field due to poor weather conditions in West Virginia.

The Pioneers, now 5-10 overall, are slated to open Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Walsh University.

Game One Recap
A two-out RBI single by first baseman Logan Gray gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of the opener.  Two Salem International errors then led to three unearned runs for Malone in the second inning.

The Pioneers added another run in the third on a two-out RBI single by centerfielder Keanan Locke and then made it 7-0 in the fifth when rightfielder Matt Wheeler ripped a two-run double.

After being held to just one base hit over the first five innings, Salem International erupted for four runs in the sixth with the help of five walks and a pair of singles.

The Tigers then brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh.  However, freshman reliever Andy Fletcher managed to get the Pioneers out of trouble.  The right-hander enteried the game with two runners on base and immediately induced a double play before ending the contest and picking up his first career save by striking out the next batter of the inning.

Right-hander Matt Litty started on the mound and registered the victory (1-0) after tossing the first 5.1 innings. 

The Pioneers tallied 10 base hits in the contest, led by a 3-for-4 performance by Gray.  Third baseman Tyler Eagon added two hits in three at-bats with two runs scored.

Game Two Recap
Malone grabbed a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the third inning of game two, scoring runs on a RBI groundout by rightfielder Michael Chack and a two-out single by Gray.

Salem International evened things up in the fourth with an unearned run.  The two teams then remained deadlocked at 2-2 over the next 10 innings before Malone finally broke through in the bottom of the 15th.  Eagon led off the frame with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Richie Mast and then raced home with the winning run on a walk-off single by second baseman Austin Pachan.

The Malone pitching staff allowed just two runs on eight hits during the marathon game.  Right-hander Jack McDonald tossed the first nine innings for the Pioneers, yielding just two runs (one earned) on five hits.  McDonald struck out 11 while walking just two.  Fletcher and right-hander Gunnar Smeyres both followed with three innings of scoreless relief as Smeyres picked up the victory (1-3) after working the 13th, 14th and 15th.

The Pioneers recorded 11 hits in the contest with two each for Pachan, Mast and centerfielder Daulton Ritter.