WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Malone University baseball team dropped the final game of their spring break trip in Florida to the University of Minnesota Duluth 6-5. The Bulldogs (7-2) were able to get the walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth after the Pioneers (7-7) rallied to tie the game.
 
Anthony Bartiromo had three hits from the leadoff spot while Anthony Ryan, Jordan Stevens and Robert Gumino had multi-hit games. Ayden Hall struck out a team-high six batters. Cooper Davies received the loss to fall to 0-1.
 
Malone loaded the bases in the first on a parade of walks, but nine were able to score. An RBI single gave Duluth the lead in the second inning and Gumino responded with a run-scoring double in the fourth. A Stevens line drive single put the Pioneers in front 2-1 in the next inning. A three-spot for the Bulldogs was a quick answer.
 
Malone chipped away with singles by Stevens and Zach Flohr followed by a sacrifice fly off the bat of Chris Munoz. A run by Duluth made it 5-3 through seven innings of play. A Ryan RBI single in the eighth brought the Pioneers back to within one and Devin Norton got a 1-2-3 eighth in a relief appearance.
 
Down to their final out, Bartiromo came through with an RBI single to right, but the go-ahead run was cut down at home plate. The Bulldogs used the momentum of a big defensive play to win the game in the ninth 6-5 thanks to an RBI single.
 
Malone begins Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play this weekend at home versus Hillsdale College.