WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The Malone University baseball team took on Concordia University, St. Paul at Chain of Lakes Park on Monday. 

The stadium that the Pioneers played at served as the spring training home for the Cleveland Indians from 1993-2008. 

Malone (7-4, 0-0 G-MAC) scored first, but some defensive miscues helped the Golden Bears (3-4, 0-0 NSIC) open up a big lead in the middle innings.

The Pioneers rallied late, but both the tying and winning runs were left stranded on base in the bottom of the ninth as CSP took the 8-7 victory. 

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Starting pitcher Chase Jessee was on cruise control through the opening frames, and it did not take long for Malone's offense to get the run support going.

Andrew Hanna broke a scoreless tie with his RBI in the bottom of the second inning. Tyson Gingerich followed with a RBI single in the very next at bat to put MU up 2-0 early on. 

Unfortunately things went sideways for Malone in the top of the fifth. 

The Golden Bears plated six runs on just four hits. They were aided by two Pioneer defensive errors to grab a 6-2 lead. 

CSP added another run in the seventh to make it 7-2. 

Malone's offense responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Cameron Martin notched a sacrifice fly, and JC Philippi singled home JT Tonelli to make it a 7-4 ballgame. 

Unfortunately Concordia got one of those runs right back on a RBI single in the top of the eighth. 

Trailing 8-4, and down to their last three outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Malone's offense rallied. 

Philippi laced a two-out double to bring home Tonelli once again. Boston Black drew a bases loaded walk to make it 8-6, and then Philippi scored on a wild pitch to bring the Pioneers to within just one run. 

Unfortunately the two-out rally came to and end with the tying run and winning run on base, and CSP escaped with the 8-7 win.

PIONEER POINTS

• Tyson Gingerich and JC Philippi led Malone's offense with three hits each. Philippi's season average now stands at a team-best .464.
• Gingerich had three stolen bases on the afternoon. 
• On the mound, Chase Jessee went 4.2 innings and struck out six batters. He only surrendered two earned runs.
• Eric Baum pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning in relief.