The Malone University baseball team slugged its way to a pair of victories in a doubleheader sweep of Wheeling Jesuit University Thursday afternoon at Massillon Jackson High School. The Pioneers totaled 26 hits, including 12 for extra bases, in 10-3 and 11-0 triumphs over the visiting Cardinals. With the two non-conference wins, Malone improved to 28-14 on the season.
 
Game One Recap
The Pioneers grabbed an early lead in the bottom of the second when Todd Ropp and Matt Noel smoked back-to-back doubles to put Malone in front 1-0. One inning later, the Pioneers tacked on two more runs on a sacrifice fly by Austin White and run-scoring single by Ropp.
 
The Cardinals fought back with two runs in the top of the fourth using a little small ball to cut the lead to 3-2. Malone answered with their own small ball approach to score four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Three straight singles, including two of the bunt variety, combined with a Wheeling Jesuit throwing error led to a pair of runs. Nate Cobb followed with an RBI single before another sacrifice fly by White gave Malone a 7-2 lead through four.
 
The two squads traded runs in the fifth as Zach Mottice's line drive single off the first baseman's mitt drove home the eighth run of the game. Malone then added two runs on three straight extra-base hits in the bottom of the sixth. Turner Hill led off the inning with a triple and later scored on a double by Joe Crank. Austin White picked up his third RBI of the game with a double to score Crank two pitches later.
 
Crank led the Malone offense with a single, double, triple, and two runs scored. Matt Noel clubbed two doubles while Ropp added a double and a single. Cobb and Mottice each finished with two hits, a run, and an RBI.
 
Pioneer starter James Kontur pitched a season-high five innings, striking out four in the victory. Tommy Walker added two innings of scoreless relief.
 
Game Two Recap
The offensive onslaught continued for Malone in the first inning of game two when Todd Ropp went deep with a two-run blast, depositing the first pitch he saw over the left field wall to put his team ahead 2-0.

After being held scoreless over the next two innings, the Pioneers batted around in the bottom of the fourth on their way to seven runs, all with two outs. Dyllan West got the rally started with a two-out single and later scored on a two-run double from Tom Eslich which put the Pioneers up 4-0. Following a walk, Turner Hill came through with an RBI single before Joe Crank delivered a two-run base knock. One pitch later, Todd Ropp belted his second homer of the game, and his third of the season, to give Malone a 9-0 advantage.
 
The Pioneers capped off their scoring in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out, two-run double by Clay Wisner. Wisner, Crank, and Eslich each finished with two hits and two RBI while Ropp tied a career-high with four RBI on his two two-run homeruns.
 
Starting pitcher Kyle Kovach (3 IP, 4 K) teamed with relievers Clay Cooper (1 IP, 3 K), Jordan Yoder (1 IP, 1 K), Tyrus Jones (1 IP, 2 K), and Christian Specht (1 IP, 1 K) on a five-hit shutout.

Up Next
The Pioneers will host Findlay in a crucial three-game G-MAC series this weekend. The two teams will meet for a single game on Saturday, April 28th at 4:30 before playing a doubleheader on Sunday, April 29th at 1:00 pm.