The Malone University baseball team finished off a series sweep of Davis & Elkins College Saturday to improve to 14-10 on the season and 4-4 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
 
In the morning opener, the Pioneers played the final two innings of Friday night's suspended contest, earning an 8-2 victory over the Senators. In game one of the regularly scheduled doubleheader, Malone broke a 1-1 deadlock with five runs in the bottom of the sixth before securing a 6-3 triumph. Then in the series finale, Malone unloaded for a season-high 19 hits in an 18-3 victory.
 
Friday's Suspended Game Recap
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the third, Malone went ahead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, scoring once on an errant pickoff throw before scoring again on an RBI single from Austin White.
 
The Pioneers broke it open with six runs in the bottom of the fifth, using a three-run double by Matt Noel, an RBI single from Jacob Mottice, and a two-run double by Andrew Hanna to take an 8-1 lead. The skies opened up following the high-scoring inning, filling the field with snow and causing a suspension of play.
 
After resuming action on Saturday morning, the Senators tacked on a run in the sixth before Malone closed out the seven-inning game with an 8-2 victory.
 
Clyde Yoder (4-1) allowed just two hits and two walks while posting seven strikeouts over five strong innings. Noel and Turner Hill both scored twice for the Pioneer offense, which drew a total of 10 walks in the game.
 
Doubleheader Game One Recap
Immediately following the conclusion of the suspended contest, Malone went to work on game three of the series but fell behind 1-0 for the third straight game as Davis & Elkins plated a run in the top of the first. A bad pickoff throw allowed Malone to tie it in the bottom of the third.
 
With the game still tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Pioneers scored five runs to go out in front. Austin White broke the tie with an RBI single before Jacob Mottice chopped a two-run single over a drawn-in infield to put the Pioneers up 4-1. With the bags full again three batters later, Tyson Gingerich drove in two with a ground ball out as Mottice hustled all the way around from second to give the Pioneers a 6-1 advantage.
 
The Senators scored two runs in their final at-bat, but it wasn't enough as Malone earned their third win of the series.
 
Starting pitcher Christian Specht surrendered just one unearned run over six innings, giving up four singles and two walks while matching a career-high with eight strikeouts. Jacob Mottice singled twice and totaled two RBI while Cade Mottice and Turner Hill each doubled in the win.
 
Doubleheader Game Two Recap
Malone scored the first run for the first time in the series and never looked back en route to 18 runs – the most in a game over the last two seasons – and a four-game series sweep.
 
A safety squeeze bunt by Matt Noel gave Malone a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Noel then drove in the first two runs of the third inning with his first collegiate triple into the right centerfield gap. Malone would add nine more runs in an explosive, 11-run third inning.
 
Josh Haygood followed Noel with an RBI triple, Bryan Yoder chased home a run with a safety squeeze, Cade Mottice delivered an RBI bunt single, Zach Mottice double in two runs and scored on a D&E throwing error to make it 9-0.
 
After Turner Hill and Matt Noel collected their second base hits of the inning, Haygood followed with his second hit of the inning, a three-run bomb over the right field fence. Haygood's homer, which put Malone ahead 12-0, marked his third of the season.
 
An RBI single from Tyson Gingerich made it a 13-0 contest in the bottom of the fourth before the Senators scored a run in each of the next three innings. Meanwhile, Malone scored its 14th run on a bases loaded walk by Cade Mottice in the fifth. In the sixth, Noel added an RBI single and Haygood produced a sacrifice fly.
 
The Pioneers scored their final two runs in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded walk by Adam Studer, the first RBI of his career, and an RBI groundout by Gingerich.
 
Ten different Pioneers combined on a season-high 19 hits in the victory. Turner Hill singled three times and scored three runs. Matt Noel posted three hits and four RBI, and Austin White doubled as part of a three-hit day.
 
Josh Haygood tripled and homered, scored three times, and collected a season-high five RBI. Zach Mottice singled, doubled, scored twice, and drove in a pair. Cade Mottice singled twice and drove in two runs. Tyson Gingerich tallied two runs and two RBI while Bryan Yoder scored two times.
 
Starting pitcher Tommy Walker quietly earned his second win of the season, tossing six innings while allowing two unearned runs. Walker scattered four hits and posted three strikeouts. Alex Widmer, Preston Stanley, and Nathan Hill each pitched an inning of relief.
 
Up Next
Malone travels to North Canton on Wednesday, March 27th to take on Walsh in a G-MAC doubleheader beginning at 1:00 pm.