The Malone University baseball team locked up the #2 seed in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) North Division with a decisive 16-5 victory over Lake Erie College Sunday evening at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio. The win lifted Malone to 32-16 overall and 18-9 in the G-MAC. The Pioneers will next meet the #3 seed in the South Division in the opening game of the G-MAC Championship on Wednesday.
 
Recap
A two-out single to center by Matt Noel in the top of the first gave Malone a 1-0 lead, but Lake Erie quickly tied it on three straight singles in the bottom of the inning. From there, though, it was all Malone as the Pioneers scored 14 runs over the next five innings.
 
Five of those runs came in the top of the second. With the bases loaded and the infield drawn in, Nate Cobb drove in two on a high-chopping single over the first baseman's reach. Following a walk, Joe Crank drove in two more runs with an opposite field single. Malone would score again on a Lake Erie passed ball.
 
Crank's triple to right center in the of the fourth led to a sacrifice fly by Noel and a 7-1 lead. The Pioneers then put up a crooked number in the top of the sixth, scoring eight runs, seven of which came with two outs.
 
A leadoff walk by Crank preceded an RBI double by Noel, who scored later in the inning on an RBI single by Jacob Mottice. A two-run single by Cobb and a wild pitch that scored Zach Mottice gave the Pioneers a 12-1 lead. With the bases loaded later in the frame, Matt Noel delivered his second double of the inning to clear bases and put Malone ahead 15-1.
 
Lake Erie recorded a run in the bottom of the sixth and three in the bottom of the eighth. The Pioneers scored their 16th and final run of the day in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Cobb.
 
Cobb finished with three hits, three runs, and five RBI from his leadoff spot. Matt Noel totaled six RBI on three hits while Todd Ropp added three singles. Joe Crank reached base five times in six plate appearances and scored three runs.
 
Starting pitcher Eric Mullet improved to a perfect 8-0 on the season with the mound victory. He struck out five over five strong innings, allowing just one run. Cody Ballay and Christian Specht each worked scoreless innings in relief.
 
Up Next
Malone will square off against either Ohio Valley or Alderson Broaddus, who are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Monday, in a favorable matchup at 12:00 pm Wednesday, May 9th in the first game of the G-MAC Championship. The double-elimination tournament will run through Saturday and will take place at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio.