The Malone University baseball team defeated West Liberty University 4-3 in 12 innings before dropping a 6-0 decision to Quincy University Friday at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio. With the split, Malone is now 2-1 on the young season while West Liberty fell to 0-6 and Quincy improved to 4-1.
 
Game One Recap
The Hilltoppers scored a run in the third and two unearned runs in the fifth before Malone finally cracked the scoring column in the bottom half of the sixth.
 
A leadoff hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch led to an RBI single by Matt Noel. Following a double by Austin White, Clay Wisner provided the game-tying two-run single, which knotted it up at 3-3. From there, both teams were held off the scoreboard until Malone's half of the 12th.
 
A costly Hilltopper fielding error put Zach Mottice on first to lead off the final frame before a sacrifice bunt by Jacob Mottice pushed him into scoring position. One batter later, sophomore Turner Hill wasted little time, singling in the elder Mottice for the walkoff game-winner and the Pioneers' second win of the year.
 
Hill and White each finished with two hits to lead the Malone offense. Cade Mottice picked up his first collegiate hit in his first collegiate at-bat, doubling in the bottom of the second.
 
Starting pitcher Christian Specht allowed just one earned run and struck out two over five innings pitched. Clay Cooper charted five innings of relief before Chandler Stahl (1-0) pitched the 11th and 12th frames to earn the decision.
 
Game Two Recap
Starting pitcher Eric Mullet (0-1) struck out seven over five innings, but a four-run bottom of the fourth for the Hawks proved to be the undoing for Malone.
 
Offensively, the Pioneers totaled 10 base hits but left 12 runners on base as they were shutout for just the second time in the last 63 games.
 
Cade Mottice led Malone with three singles, Clay Wisner added two singles, and Joe Crank provided Malone's only extra-base hit, a two-out double in the top of the first. In the top of the third, Bryan Yoder collected his first collegiate base hit as did Tyson Gingerich in the fifth. In the top of the ninth, redshirt freshman Mitch Massaro singled in his first collegiate at-bat.
 
Up Next
Malone will conclude its weekend trip with a 10:00 am contest with Quincy on Saturday.