The Malone University baseball team improved to 6-0 on its spring break trip with a 14-4 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan College at Chain of Lakes Park, the former spring training home of the Cleveland Indians, in Winter Haven, Florida on Wednesday. Through 10 games overall, Malone is now 6-4 on the season.
 
Recap
As they have all season, the Pioneers put pressure on the defense and took advantage of their speed to gain a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on the strength of just one base hit. A leadoff single from Nate Cobb, a walk by Zach Mottice, and a hit-by pitch by Joe Crank loaded the bases with nobody out. Cobb then raced home on a WVWC passed ball to give Malone the early advantage. Running on contact, Mottice and Crank scored on back-to-back RBI groundouts by Matt Noel and Damian Maglione to put Malone up by three.
 
A bases-loaded walk by Crank in the bottom of the second gave Malone a 4-0 lead and a double suicide squeeze bunt by Crank in the bottom of the fourth made it a 6-0 contest.
 
The Bobcats scored all four of their runs in the top of the fifth after a Malone fielding error extended the inning. Still up 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth, the Pioneers tacked on three insurance runs. Noel, Andy Fletcher, and Todd Ropp each collected run-scoring singles in the inning.
 
Malone blew the game open with five more tallies in the bottom of the seventh. A single up the middle by Mottice drove in a pair before Damian Maglione doubled in a run later in the inning to make it 12-4. An RBI infield single by Jacob Mottice plated another run. With the 10-run rule in effect, Ropp singled in the fifth Pioneer of the inning to give Malone the 14-4 walkoff win.
 
The Pioneers piled up a season-high 14 hits in the victory, including 12 one-baggers. They also walked nine times and had two HBPs. Cobb, Ropp, and Maglione each posted three hits while Fletcher finished with two. Cobb and Zach Mottice each scored three times from the one and two spots in the order while Crank scored twice and drove in three. Mottice, Noel, Maglione, and Ropp all added a pair of runs batted in.
 
Rightfielder Turner Hill had an interesting day at the dish, walking in all four plate appearances. The keen-eyed freshman already has 12 walks in seven games played this season.
 
Lost in all the offense on Wednesday was an outstanding pitching performance from sophomore Eric Mullet, who tossed a complete game in the win. Mullet (1-0) gave up just five hits and a walk while striking out six. All four runs allowed were unearned.
 
Up Next
The Pioneers are scheduled to play two nine-inning games on Thursday as they look to remain hot in Florida. Malone faces Saint Anselm (NH) at 9:15 am before squaring off against Minnesota Duluth at 1:00 pm.