The Malone University baseball team overcame a 6-3 loss to NCAA DII #15 Ohio Dominican University in game one of a doubleheader on Friday afternoon to take game two by a 5-2 final and salvage a split. Through 34 games this season, the Pioneers are now 23-11 overall, including a 12-5 mark in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The nationally-ranked Panthers are now 23-7 and 12-3 in the G-MAC.
 
Game One Recap
In the bottom of the first, Malone grabbed an early 1-0 lead without the benefit of a base hit. A hit-by-pitch, a walk, and a sacrifice bunt led to an RBI sacrifice fly by Austin White. The Pioneers maintained the 1-0 lead until the top of the third when the Panthers tied it on a solo homerun over the centerfield fence at Munson Stadium.
 
Five straight ODU singles to start the top of the fifth resulted in three runs for the visitors and a 4-1 lead. Malone answered back an inning later, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Mottice and an RBI single by Turner Hill. The Pioneers were kept off the board for the final three frames, however, as ODU closer Brad Wilson tossed three perfect innings to earn the save.
 
Ohio Dominican tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the top of the ninth before closing out the 6-3 victory. Malone starter Roscoe Blackburn was charged with just his second loss of the season after surrendering four runs over seven innings. He struck out four in defeat.
 
Offensively, Malone collected four base hits. Turner Hill reached base four times via three walks and a single. Todd Ropp singled and scored a run.
 
Game Two Recap
Just like in game one, Malone gained the early advantage in the bottom of the first when Joe Crank came in to score on a wild pitch. Just like in game one, Ohio Dominican answered back and went in front. The Panthers plated a run in the fourth and another in the fifth to take a 2-1 lead.
 
Unlike the first game, the Pioneers were able to overcome the deficit and regain their edge. A squeeze bunt by Joe Crank tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth before a clutch three-run double by Todd Ropp deep into the left centerfield gap put Malone up 5-2.
 
The Panthers loaded the bases against Malone starter Eric Mullet in the top of the seventh, but sophomore reliever Christian Specht came in to retire the final batter and earn his fourth save of the season. Mullet (5-0) picked up the win, holding the nation's top-scoring team to just two runs (one earned) over 6.2 innings pitched.  He struck out five Panthers in the victory, including three inning-ending punchouts.
 
Ropp's three-run double led the offensive output. Clay Wisner added two base hits, Crank scored twice, and a trio of Pioneers, Nate Cobb, Austin White, and Tom Eslich, each singled and scored a run.
 
Up Next
Malone will look to make it two in a row against Ohio Dominican when the two teams meet in a nine-inning rubber match on Saturday at 12:30 pm at Munson Stadium.