AUBURNDALE, Fla. - The Benedictine University baseball team had to wait a week to open the season after being rained out in St. Louis last weekend. The wait was worth it as the Eagles used a seven-run second inning to rout past Central 19-6.

Benedictine scored in every single inning of the contest, opening the scoring in the top of the first. Nick Karakosta recorded a one-out single and Ryan Mullin was able to reach on an error. With two outs Kevin Hendricks, an all-region choice in 2011 who did not play at all in 2012 due to injury, returned to the lineup with an RBI single to hand Benedictine the lead.

Kevin Crowley received the start in the opener. Crowley struggled in his first inning, hitting the first two batters of the contest. Central would go on to score six runs in the first and grab a 6-1 lead.

The second inning saw Benedictine bat around and chase Central's starter from the game. Three consecutive singles opened the inning. Tom Higgins and Steve Cocat began the rally before Chris Wanderling notched an RBI single. Wanderling stole second and Cocat was able to score on the throw to make it 6-3. Mullin lifted a sacrifice fly and later Kevin Hendricks bounced into a fielder's choice to plate a run. Higgins came to the plate with the bases loaded and stroked a triple into the right field corner to hand the Eagles an 8-7 lead.

The Eagles continued to build the lead, racking up 21 hits on the way to the shortened win. Crowley settled down following the first, allowing just one hit the rest of the way. The lefty retired the final nine batters of the game and logged six innings to earn the win. Crowley recorded six strikeouts in the game. Nick Diessner finished out the contest by posting two strikeouts in the seventh.

Every member of the starting lineup posted at least one hit in the victory with seven collecting two. Cocat finished 4-for-5 in the eight hole, scoring three runs and driving home a run in the fifth. Kevin Hendricks drove home four runs and finished 3-for-6 while Higgins plated three. Karakosta and Cervantes also picked up three hits each. Tim Hendricks scored three runs at the top of the order with Karakosta crossing four times.

Central (6-3) won the Iowa Conference regular season title last year and finished 29-11. The Dutch were concluding their visit through Central Florida.

Benedictine (1-0) will play a doubleheader agaisnt Anderson on Saturday beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Lake Myrtle Field #1.