The Malone University baseball team wrapped up its trip to the Tucson Invitational on Saturday night with an 11-10 defeat to St. Cloud State (MN) University and a wild 19-17 loss to Southwest Minnesota State University. 

The Pioneers, now 8-5 overall, will be back in action on March 17th with their home opener against Mercyhurst (PA) University.  The first pitch of the non-conference doubleheader is slated for 2:00 p.m. at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium.

Game One Recap
The Huskies scored four times in the bottom of the third inning to grab a 6-3 lead in Saturday's opener. 

The Pioneers pulled ahead 7-6 in the top of the sixth with the help of three hits and a pair of St. Cloud errors.  SCSU would fight back to grab a 10-7 advantage the seventh, scoring four times after stringing together three consecutive two-out base hits.

The back-and-forth battle then continued as an RBI double by Malone rightfielder Matt Wheeler and a two-run homer by first baseman Chad Neff knotted the score at 10-10 in the top of the eighth.

However, the Huskies answered back in the bottom of the frame as pinch hitter Reese Gregory came through with a solo home run to put SCSU back on top 11-10.  Gregory then took the mound in the top of the ninth and recorded three strikeouts to cement the win and pick up his first save of the year.

The Pioneers tallied 16 hits in the game, led by Wheeler who went 4-for-5 with a double, triple and three RBI's.  Centerfielder Brenden Wells, leftfielder Keanan Locke, designated hitter Matt Davis and second baseman Richie Mast all added two hits apiece.

Left-handed starting pitcher Jordan Yoder worked the first five innings, surrendering six runs (two earned).  Reliver Jordan Knight suffered the loss (1-1) after tossing the final two frames.
 
Game Two Recap
The offensive fireworks continued in the final game of the day.  In all, Malone and Southwest Minnesota State combined for 36 runs and 41 hits in a nine-inning contest that lasted four hours. 

A seven-run third inning allowed the Pioneers to build an 11-0 advantage.  The Mustangs then roared back, plating five runs in the bottom of the third, five runs in the fourth and four more runs in the fifth to pull ahead 14-11. 

Malone would score four times in the top of the seventh to regain the lead at 17-15.  SMSU cut the deficit to one with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh and then pulled ahead for good in the eighth, chasing home three more runs with the help of three walks and a hit by pitch.

Southwest Minnesota State pitcher Jake Leighton came on in the eighth and picked up the win after retiring all six batters he faced.

The Pioneers piled up a season-high 19 hits in the contest.  Designated hitter Hayden Mobley went 5-for-6 at the dish with five runs batted in.  Wells also registered five RBI's from the leadoff spot, scoring four runs while posting three singles and a two-run triple.  Locke added four hits while Mast was 3-for-5 with three runs scored.

First baseman Patrick Rients registered four of the Mustangs' 22 hits, including a big three-run homer in the third inning that helped spark SMSU's comeback.