WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Malone baseball team kicked off the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with a run-rule victory against West Virginia Wesleyan College, 17-7. The Pioneers are now above .500 at 5-4 while the Bobcats fall to 1-7.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan plated two unearned runs in the top of the first, however Malone drew back to even with a solo homerun by Anthony Bartiromo and a bunt single by Robert Gumino that scored a run.
 
The Pioneers put up a four-spot in the bottom of the third to give themselves a sizable lead at 6-2. Allen Diaz led off the frame with a double and Jake Barker drove him in with an RBI single a few batters later. A Zach Flohr sacrifice fly and Eric Baum two-run double extended the lead. A homerun by Chris Munoz in the fourth further increased the advantage to 10-2.
 
All during this time, starting pitcher Cole Miller (1-0) was dominant on the bump and went five full innings. He struck out four and allowed only the two unearned runs on six hits and two walks. The Bobcats would inch closer off the Pioneer relievers, but the offense would keep flowing to keep Malone in front.
 
Jake Barker went yard in a two-run sixth inning and the Pioneers put the game to rest early with a five-spot in the seventh. Anthony Ryan, Munoz, Gumino and Baum all had run-scoring hits in the inning.
 
23 hits in a single game is the most for Malone baseball since joining the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). All ten hitters that made a plate appearance recorded a hit and nine of them had multiple hits. Steven, Barker, Baum and Munoz had three hits apiece and Munoz led the way with five RBIs.
 
Play continues in the Sunshine State on Friday, March 7 against Roosevelt University at 9:00 A.M. and Grand Valley State University at 12:30 P.M.