INSTITUTE, W.V. – The Malone University baseball program opened the 2025 season with two victories on the road at West Virginia State University on Sunday. Malone moved to 2-0 with victories 10-1 and 9-4 in seven-inning contests. The Yellow Jackets fall to 2-2 on the year.
GAME ONE RECAP:
The Pioneer offense supported their starter
Jackson Phelps before he even toed the rubber for his season debut with three runs in the top of the first.
Anthony Ryan drove in two on a double and scored himself on a wild pitch. A bases loaded hit by pitch allowed West Virginia State to recover one of those runs.
From there, Malone would rattle off seven in a row to claim the win. All of the remaining runs on the scoreboard came in the third inning. Ryan hit a solo homerun to lead off the frame and
Allen Diaz,
Charlie Roberts and
Chris Munoz added run-scoring hits as well. Ryan would finish the crooked number off with an RBI double to give him eight total bases and four RBIs.
Additional offensive highlights included
Eric Baum with three walks and two runs scored.
Jake Barker reached base three times after he drew two walks in game one.
Robert Gumino had a hit and a walk.
Phelps (1-0) received the win on the mound after four innings of work. He totaled six strikeouts and allowed just one hit, but had a high pitch count with five walks.
Caesen Sutton entered the game in the fifth and recorded a three-inning save without allowing a hit.
GAME TWO RECAP:
The road team picked up right where they left off in game two with six runs in the first two innings.
Jordan Stevens scored one on an RBI double to left center in the first inning. Five more runs were scored in the second inning, highlighted by a Stevens two-run single through the left side of the infield.
That was enough run support for
Devin Norton (1-0) to pitch the Pioneers to victory. He allowed one in the bottom of the second and was eventually chased from the game after five, but he struck out six while allowing just three runs.
Nate Plack and
Cooper Davies were relief men for Malone that were able to preserve the lead after the Yellow Jackets had cut it to two at 6-4.
Stevens recorded a third run-scoring hit in the top of the seventh with a solo homerun to give the Pioneers some breathing room. He was a triple shy of the cycle in a 3-for-4 game. Diaz would do the same with a homerun of his own a few batters later further extended the lead to 9-4.
UP NEXT:
The four-game series that was delayed due to inclement weather will conclude on Monday, February 24 with two more games.
