The Malone University baseball team swept the University of Findlay by the final scores of 6-4 and 4-2 in a road doubleheader Saturday afternoon to improve to 24-11 on the season. The first-place Pioneers have now won 14 straight games in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play and own a two-game cushion over second-place Ohio Dominican. With the two losses, the Oilers dropped to 10-16 on the year and 4-10 in the G-MAC.
 
Game One Recap
Malone went up 1-0 in the top of the first when cleanup hitter and RBI machine Matt Noel lined a 2-2 pitch into centerfield to score Tyson Gingerich, who singled to leadoff the game. Findlay, however, bounced back in the bottom of the second, scoring four runs, including three on a two-out homerun to take a 4-1 lead.
 
Undaunted, Malone wasted no time in closing the gap, adding three runs in the top of the third. Another leadoff single by Gingerich and a single by Zach Mottice put runners at the corners for Turner Hill, who laid down a bunt to drive in a run and make it 4-2. Later in the inning, Noel made it a 4-3 game with a sacrifice fly and the Pioneers tied it on a two-out RBI single from Austin White.
 
In the top of the fifth, a two-out double by Jacob Mottice set the table for twin brother Cade Mottice, who singled to center for an RBI. Malone tacked on a sixth run in the top of the sixth after Zach Mottice led off the inning with a walk and eventually scored on a squeeze bunt by Noel.
 
The Pioneers and starting pitcher Eric Mullet held the Oilers off the board late before securing the 6-4 victory. Aside from the four-run second, Mullet (5-2) was effective in the complete game victory, scattering five hits and two walks while striking out a pair.
 
Tyson Gingerich, Jacob Mottice, and Cade Mottice each finished with two hits while Gingerich and Zach Mottice each scored twice. Matt Noel drove in a team-high three runs, giving him 35 RBI in the first 34 games. Clay Wisner added a double for the Pioneers.
 
Game Two Recap
Sacrifice flies by Turner Hill in the fourth, Austin White in the fifth, and Jacob Mottice in the seventh gave the Pioneers and starting pitcher Tyrus Jones all the support they would need in the nine-inning victory.
 
Jones (3-1) was fantastic through six innings shutout baseball, giving up just one hit while striking out four Oilers. After allowing two unearned runs and loading the bases in the seventh, Jones gave way to closer Clay Cooper, who induced an inning-ending groundout to preserve the lead.
 
The Pioneers added a fourth run in the eighth with their fourth sacrifice fly of the game and second from Hill. Cooper, who pitched in both games during Friday's doubleheader sweep, would go on to earn his fifth save of the season after retiring six of the seven batters he faced over the final two innings.
 
Tyson Gingerich led the Pioneer lineup with two hits, a stolen base, and a run scored. Matt Noel tripled and scored while Mitch Massaro added a double.
 
Up Next
Malone travels to take on Tiffin in a single nine-inning non-conference matchup with the Dragons on Wednesday, April 10th at 3:00 pm.