The Malone University baseball team swept both games of its home doubleheader against Hillsdale (MI) College on Sunday afternoon at Thurman Munson Stadium, capturing the opener 3-1 and the series finale by a final tally of 5-1.

The victories gave the Pioneers three wins in their first four-game Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series of the season while improving the squad's overall record to 11-8.

Malone is scheduled to be back in action on Tuesday with a 1:00 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at Mercyhurst (PA) University. 

Game One Recap
Red-shirt freshman starting pitcher Joshua Hurford led the Pioneers to victory in the opener by tossing a complete game.  The right-hander from Sebring, Ohio limited the Chargers to one run on three hits over his seven innings.  Hurford struck out eight and walked just one to improve to 2-1 on the season.

After the Chargers grabbed a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second inning, Malone fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the third when second baseman Austin Pachan raced home on shortstop Richie Mast's single through the left side of the infield.

The score then remained deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth.  Catcher Hayden Mobley chased home the go-ahead score on an RBI double to left.  Rightfielder Matt Wheeler then stepped to the plate later in the frame and lined a run-scoring single to left, making the score 3-1.

Hurford then slammed the door shut in the top of the seventh, setting Hillsdale down in order to cement the victory.

Hillsdale starter Will Kruse tossed all six innings for the visitors and suffered the loss (0-2) after giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits.

Game Two Recap
True freshman starting pitcher Cody Ballay picked up where Hurford left off in game two.  The lefthander from Erie, Pennsylvania held the Chargers to one run on two hits over the first seven innings.  Ballay improved to 2-1 on the year after striking out seven and walking three.

Like in game one, Hillsdale scored first, pulling ahead 1-0 in the second on an RBI double.

The Pioneers tied the game in the bottom of the third on an RBI groundout by third baseman Jon Crank. 

And just like the first game of the day, Malone did its offensive damage in the bottom of the sixth, chasing home four more runs.

Wheeler put the Pioneers in front with a clutch two-run double down the rightfield line.  Following a single to center by first baseman Chad Neff, leftfielder Ryan Froman brought home Wheeler from third on a successful sacrifice bunt.  Pachan then completed the scoring by launching an RBI double over the rightfielder's head.

Relievers Shawn Mills and Jordan Knight each tossed a hitless inning of relief to close out the victory.

Malone posted nine hits in the contest.  Pachen went 3-for-4 with a run scored and one run batted.  Wheeler tallied two hits, including the big two-run double in the sixth.  Neff also finished with a pair of hits and one run scored.