The Malone University baseball team left Detroit with its second doubleheader split of the weekend with Wayne State University, falling 4-3 in game one of  Sunday's twinbill before winning game two 6-2. For the second consecutive day, the Pioneers lost game one of the doubleheader in walk-off fashion, but for the second consecutive day they responded with a comeback victory in the nightcap. With the win in the finale, Malone finished the regular season 26-22 overall and 18-12 in the GLIAC.
 
Game One Recap:
In the first two innings, the Pioneers jumped on Wayne State ace Alex Kinch (8-4) for five hits and a pair of runs. Matt Davis' RBI single in the top of the first gave Malone a 1-0 lead. An RBI single from Richie Mast extended the advantage to 2-0 in the second. Kinch, who came into the weekend ranked third in the GLIAC in strikeouts, held Malone to just three hits the rest of the way and finished with nine punch-outs.
 
The Wayne State offense was held in check by Malone starter Tyler Whitlatch until the bottom of the fourth when the Warriors got on the scoreboard with an unearned run. Two more runs in the bottom of the sixth made it a 3-2 ball game heading into the final inning.
 
An infield single and a pair of walks loaded the bases for the Pioneers in the top of the seventh. Brenden Wells hit a fly ball just deep enough to drive in the tying run with a sacrifice fly and give Malone new life. The 3-3 deadlock was short-lived, however, as the Warriors loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and used their own sacrifice fly to drive in the winning-run.
 
It was the second time in two days that the Warriors walked off in the bottom of the seventh, following up their 6-5 win on game one Saturday with the 4-3 win in the opener Sunday.
 
Keanan Locke led the Pioneers with two hits and two runs in defeat. Wells and Matt Davis each added two hits and a run batted in.
 
Game Two Recap:
Trailing 1-0 going into the top of the fourth, Malone put up a crooked figure with a six-run inning. After loading the bases, the Pioneers scored their first two runs with out swinging a bat. A bases-loaded walk by Matt Noel followed by an Austin Pachan hit-by-pitch put Malone up 2-1 and forced a Warrior pitching change.
 
After the switch, Keanan Locke promptly took the first pitch he saw and deposited it over Wayne State's version of the "green monster" in left field. Locke's grand slam marked his second of the season, gave Malone a 6-1 lead, and proved to be the difference in the 6-2 victory.
 
Matt Litty, Cody Ballay, Joe Costello, and Shawn Mills combined for the pitching victory, holding the Warriors to just two unearned runs.
 
Up Next:
The Pioneers, who clinched the #3 seed in the GLIAC Tournament with the win, will begin postseason play on Thursday, May 12th in Xenia, Ohio. Malone will take on this same Wayne State squad in the day one matchup. Game time is TBA.