|
| Strong pitching and timely hitting lifted the Muhlenberg to an 11-1 win against Clarkson in the second game of its season-opening doubleheader. Clarkson scored four late runs to take the opener, 7-3. Junior Luke Foley (pictured) started the second game and gave up a run after only three batters. But that would be the only time the Golden Knights crossed the plate, with Foley, sophomore Shane Ohl, senior James Hopke and junior Charlie Siper putting up zeroes for the last 8 2/3 innings. Muhlenburg athletics photo |
The Aggies returned to action today with a doubleheader against Rosemont after starting the season off with a convincing 16-4 win over Wilson College. By the end of the day, the Ravens were seeing double after the Aggies swept them, 5-2 and 7-4, to improve to 3-0 for the season. Today's wins see the Aggies win their first three for the first time in a decade, dating back to 2016 with wins over Monmouth and Bethany in back-to-back doubleheaders. The Aggies jumped in front early in game one and never looked back. On the mound, Travis Loewe was sharp through the first four innings, retiring the side in order in the first and third and striking out multiple batters to keep Rosemont off balance. The Ravens did not record a hit until the fifth inning. James DeHaven entered in relief in the sixth and closed the door over the final two innings. The right-hander worked around a single in the sixth and a seventh-inning error, striking out the final two batters to seal the win. in the nightcap, the Aggies once again struck first in the opening inning. DelVal added to its lead in the second and after Rosemont threatened in the fourth the Aggies responded immediately in the fifth with their most productive inning of the game. Rosemont added one final run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single before the Aggies retired the game at 7-4. Today marks a first career win for Sophomore Travis Loewe's collegiate career.
FDU-Florham is a perfect 6-0 to start the season after the team swept Lehman College, 18-0 and 13-1, in their doubleheader on Saturday. Junior Eddie Appollina threw a dominant five innings, punching out seven and allowing no hits or runs throughout his outing. First year Noah Fiorillo put up big numbers against the Lightning, going 2-for-3 with a triple, four RBIs and three runs scored. Sophomore Xavier Diaz led the offense in game two as he went 2-for-2 with a double, a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. First year Andrew Parisi got his first start behind the plate and delivered in his at-bats, going 2-for-2 with one RBI and one run scored. Senior Nick Rizos and sophomore Trenon Stanard combined for six innings of one run baseball while also striking out eight.
Sophomore Gus Croll blasted a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning of game one that would hold up as the winner and senior Cooper Newell (3-0) threw seven no-hit innings as the 22nd-ranked Christopher Newport Captains swept a Saturday doubleheader, 6-5 and 5-3, against No. 15 Messiah (2-4). Croll reached base in six of his eight plate appearances while scoring four of CNU's 11 runs in the twin bill. He also drove in a pair, with the eventual game-winning two-run blast in game one while adding a double, two walks, and one HBP to finish 3-for-5 at the plate. In game two, his walk and eventual run on a squeeze turned wild pitch proved to be the game-winning run for the Captains. While Croll stole the headlines for the offense, it was Newell putting together one of the finest starting pitching efforts in program history that ruled the day.
Bridgewater (Va.) took both games in the twin bill against nationally recognized Cal Lutheran on the first day of competition on spring break Saturday afternoon. The Bridgewater Eagles extended their perfect record to 10-0, the most wins to start the season in the D3 Tier. In the first game, the Eagles won 8-6 and turned in another strong outing in the second game by a final score of 10-5. The Eagles had to climb out of an early deficit in the opener to find their way against nationally recognized Cal Lutheran. The Regals attacked first with an RBI single in the first inning. Bryce Suters led the late-game push in the ninth inning, sending out a shot over the right field wall and scoring in Trent Holland. Tanner Evans sealed the win on the mound with a strikeout and a forced double play to take the win by a score of 8-6. The Eagles took charge right out of the gate, exploding offensively giving the Regals a hard time getting comfortable. BC never looked back and never gave up the lead from the first inning.
No. 14 Adrian was back in action on Saturday night as they faced Mount St. Joseph in Alabama. The Bulldogs mounted a comeback late in the game and won in walk off fashion, 8-7. The No. 14 ranked Bulldogs start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2018. In the sixth inning, Adrian took advantage of an error by Mount St. Joseph's catcher and tied the game 7-7. Mount St. Joseph loaded the bases in the top of the ninth, but Ben Bates, Ambrose Horwath, and Lincoln Lipinski combined for a complete inning while held Mount St. Joseph off the board. In the bottom of the night, Adrian loaded the bases and earned the win on a wild pitch to walk it off at 8-7.
St. John Fisher earned a 6-1 victory over Allegheny on Friday afternoon in the second game of their spring-break stint. The Cardinals improved to 3-1 on the young season. Fisher scored six runs on four hits and drew 10 walks, using timely hitting to create separation. Jack Griffin led the offense with a solo home run and later scored twice. Jordan Perry delivered the biggest swing of the day, going 1-for-4 with a three-RBI double in the fifth inning. Mario Cubello added a hit and an RBI, while Brendan Bucello drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk. Despite being outhit 5-4, the Cardinals capitalized on free passes and key extra-base hits to control the game. On the mound, Robert Leach (2-0) earned the win with five shutout innings, allowing four hits while striking out four. Sean Cleary surrendered one run over 1.2 innings in relief, and Matt Culjak closed it out with 2.1 scoreless frames and three strikeouts, as Fisher's staff combined to limit Allegheny to one run.
Top-ranked Trinity (Texas) clinched its weekend series with Babson with a 9-4 victory on Saturday afternoon. Babson led 2-1 early but a four-run second inning for Trinity put the home team in control for good. John Ramsey and Will Baker both went deep in today's game and they were two of the five Tiger players with multi-hit games. Ramsey was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI, while Baker went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Evan Kuhl matched Baker with three hits in the game and also had two RBI and a run scored. Thomas Moss and Pierce Matthews both had two hits and scored one run each. Starting pitcher Jake Beck had three strikeouts but gave way to the bullpen in the fifth inning. Jack Bussard came on to earn the win and improve to 1-0, allowing just two hits over 3.1 shutout innings.
In one of the most dominant career pitching debuts in Eastern Connecticut State history, first-year senior righty Rob Moynihan struck out ten batters and allowed only five hits over his six-inning as the Warriors defeated Westfield State for the second time in 24 hours, 9-1, Saturday afternoon at Carlo Crispino Stadium on the campus of Calvert Hall College High School. In his first stab at the Division III level after stops at Division I (Siena College) and Division II (Stonehill), Moynihan (1-0), baffled Westfield (0-2) by throwing 61 of his 77 pitches for strikes and departing on the long end of a 5-1 lead. Six of his strikeout victims went down looking at a called strike three. Moynihan did not walk a batter after issuing his only free pass to leadoff hitter Connor Benvenuto in the bottom of the first inning. Moynihan struck out at least one better in each of the first five innings, fanning the side in the fifth. His shutout effort was spoiled with one out in the sixth on No. 3 hitter Sam Palmer's first-pitch solo home run over the left field screen.
Westminster (Pa.) split a doubleheader Saturday afternoon with Fredonia State, winning game one 8-7 on a walk-off base hit by sophomore Tom Rook before dropping a 9-4 decision in game two. The Titans pounded out 14 hits in the opener. The Blue Devils, fueled by a six-run fourth, stretched its lead to 7-2 after three-and-a-half frames. Sophomore Ian Temple's two-out, three-run triple tied the game at 7-all. He scored the game-winning run on Rook's base hit after back-to-back walks. Sophomore right-hander Brandon Roher fired a scoreless fifth before freshman righty Nate Lemke threw a pair of scoreless innings to secure the relief win, his first collegiate victory. He gave up one hit and struck out two. Westminster jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first before Fredonia evened the game at 3-all with its three-run fifth before exploding for five runs in the sixth to grab an 8-3 lead. Both teams traded runs in the late innings as Fredonia secured the split.
In the fourth game of the season with double-digit runs scored, No. 2 Lynchburg thumped York, 16-1, on Saturday afternoon at Fox Field. The Hornets (6-1) earned an impressive 15-run win against the Spartans (0-3) after beating them yesterday by one run after a two-score final frame. Lynchburg has now scored 12-or-more runs in three of its last four outings. The Hornets also upped their win streak against York to five consecutive games with today's victory. Offensively, Lynchburg errupted for 16 runs on 10 hits and drew 15 walks. Quinn Madden finished with six RBI, while Jack Pokorak drove in four scores on two home runs. Benton Jones scored three times and added two RBI. The Hornets broke the game open in the sixth with six runs. On the mound, Logan Tapman earned the win, tossing six innings and allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight. Davis Watson and Michael Rowlands combined for three scoreless innings of relief as Lynchburg completed the convincing victory.
The fourth-ranked Salisbury Sea Gulls got 11 strikeouts from its hurlers and manufactured enough offense in the middle innings to secure a 5-2 victory over TCNJ Lions on Saturday afternoon at Donnie Williams Sea Gull Baseball Stadium. After surrendering a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second innings, the Sea Gulls scraped one back in each of their next two turns at bat. Three runs in the fourth made it 5-2 Salisbury. SU starter Aidan Brinsfield found a new gear after being spotted the lead, striking out the side in the fifth and two more in the sixth to finish strong. Cole Williams then put up a pair of scoreless frames out of the bullpen before handing the ball to Bryce Sterling, who punched out three in a row to put it in the books.
No. 10 Johns Hopkins erupted for 18 unanswered runs Saturday afternoon to defeat Hamilton, 18-6, in game one of a two-game series at Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium. The victory improves the Blue Jays to 5-1 on the season. After a rocky start, right-hander Kieren Collins settled in to earn his second win of the year (2-0). Hamilton tagged Collins for four runs over the first two innings as he battled command issues early. However, he struck out the final two batters in both the first and second innings to limit further damage and shift momentum. Collins went on to toss 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out nine — tying his career high. He retired seven of the final eight batters he faced, four by strikeout.
|
| Following a shutout victory over Baldwin Wallace, No. 5 Denison took the field on Saturday against the Webster Gorloks. From the first pitch, Denison set the tone and never looked back, piling up 20 runs on 20 hits in a commanding performance. The 20–4 victory pushes Denison to 3–1 on the season and marks the program's highest single-game run total since the Granville Regional, when the Big Red erupted for 26 runs in a win over Rowan. Denison athletics photo |
Zach Wernoski matched his career high with four hits in the nightcap and William Wian held the Generals hitless over his final seven innings in Game two as 25th-ranked Randolph-Macon split an ODAC doubleheader at Washington and Lee on Saturday afternoon. Washington and Lee won game one 8-3. In the opener, the Generals used five singles, of which three didn't leave the infield, and a hit batsman to plate five in the bottom of the fourth. RMC would chip away but never found a lead. W&L put up a run in the eighth before RMC got its final run in the ninth. Duff delivered a one-out double and came home on a single by Brooks to make the final 8-3. Wian (1-0) pitched eight innings in recording the victory in the nightcap. He allowed four hits and two earned runs in the first before not allowing a hit over the next seven scoreless frames with eight strikeouts. RMC recorded a season-high 13 hits. The Yellow Jackets have had at least eight hits in each of their six games and have reached double figures in hits three times. The Yellow Jackets also drew six walks and were plunked twice.
On the strength of three homers, DePauw moved to 3-1 on the season following a 12-5 win over Illinois Wesleyan. The Titans dropped to 1-3. The Titans followed this game with a 18-6 loss to Rhodes. Illinois Wesleyan took a 2-0 lead in the thirdin the game with DePauw. The Tigers reached the board in the fourth as Max Bond delivered a grand slam to give DePauw a 4-2 lead. Loius Florida's solo homer in the sixth pushed the lead to 9-3 and Bond's run-scoring single in the seventh made it 10-3. Illinois Wesleyan closed the deficit to 10-5 but could get no closer. Florida went 4-for-4 for the Tigers and drove in three, while Grady Johnson had three of DePauw's nine hits. Jamison Lewis started and earned the win for DePauw in improving to 1-1, while Jake Pullam dropped to 0-1.
- Hendrix uses late surge to take down Redlands
- Photo gallery - Catholic vs. RPI
- Photo gallery - Nebraska Wesleyan vs. Grinnell: Game one | Game two
Mount Union split a Saturday doubleheader, earning a hard-fought 10-7 victory over RIT before dropping a 7-5 decision to host John Carroll in the afternoon contest. Leading 3-2 in the fourth in game one, Mount Union exploded for six runs to break the game open. The offensive surge was highlighted by a two-run home run from senior Chris Tsouras, his second of the season, and RBIs from Daniel Tome III and junior Brycen Fox. On the mound, Ickes started the game, striking out five over 4.2 innings. Freshman Logan Ellis earned the win in relief, the first of his collegiate career, after pitching 4.1 innings while allowing three runs and striking out one. In the second game of the day, John Carroll (4-0) capitalized on late-inning opportunities. Mount Union established an early 3-0 lead through the first four innings. The Blue Streaks responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth—aided by a Raider error—to tie the game. John Carroll scored four unanswered runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 7-4 lead. Mount Union attempted a late comeback in the eighth when Tome III singled down the left-field line to score Fox and cut the lead to 7-5, but the Raiders were unable to pull any closer.
Baldwin Wallace beat the Transylvania Pioneers by a score of 9-3 at Legends Stadium. The Yellow Jackets put together solid performances on both defense and offense to lead them to victory, including eight hits. Colin West went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run and had a team-leading three RBI. Senior left-hander Brit Kostura pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing only one run and six runners to reach base. He added six strikeouts and was credited with a win. Freshmen right-hander Jared Thacker pitched two innings of relief, giving up two runs and throwing 31 pitches.
Hobart split a doubleheader against Franklin & Marshall this afternoon at Penn Medicine Park, falling in the first game 3-0 before bouncing back with a commanding 12-0 victory in game two. In the first game, the Statesmen managed seven hits but left seven runners stranded, while the Diplomats recorded 13 hits, including three doubles. Franklin & Marshall took an early lead in the first inning and extended their lead in the third with another run. In the fifth inning, Matt Hollender doubled and was brought home by Zac Fuscaldo's single for a 3-0 lead. Hobart wasn't able to bring any runners around to score as the Diplomats took the shutout win. In the second game, the Statesmen dominated the Diplomats, breaking open a close game with a 10-run explosion in the eighth inning to seal a 12-0 victory. The eighth inning was a showcase of Hobart's offensive prowess with five hits. Trevor Kimball was stellar on the mound, pitching six innings of two-hit ball. First-year Joe Dunham, junior Chris Lockwood and senior Alex Marancik closed out the game, with Dunham striking out three. Sean Garvin led the offense with two hits, including a home run and a double, driving in two runs.
St. Norbert opened its season with a split against Blackburn, winning the season opener 4-3 before dropping the second game of the afternoon 12-0 in a doubleheader at Blackburn Baseball Field. The Green Knights earned a win in the season opener thanks to three home runs, including one in the ninth inning to break a 3-3 tie. Blackburn tied the game 3-3 in the eighth from a single RBI, but it was the Green Knights who spoiled the comeback with a go-ahead solo home run from TylerDean in the ninth to give the Green Knights an opening day victory. Blackburn scored six runs in the second inning to open the second game of the doubleheader and added five more in the third. St. Norbert scored its only two runs in of the game when a double from Connor LaBar scored Tyler Murphy and Ben Griffey.
Kalamazoo improved to 8-1 with wins over Carthage and Spalding on Saturday in the Derby City Classic hosted by Spalding. Kalamazoo defeated Carthage 13-1 in seven innings before beating the host 5-3. In game one, Kalamazoo scored three in the first, two in the second and five in the third to take a 10-0 lead. Carthage pushed their only run across in the top of the fourth. Kalamazoo added three in the fifth and went on to finish the 13-1 win in seven innings. In the nightcap, Kalamazoo scored one in the first, two in the second and one in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Spalding put two runs on the board in the fifth and one in the eighth. Kalamazoo outhit Spalding 12-6 in the game.
Olivet swept a non-conference doubleheader against Wilmington , 3-0 and 10-4, at Tewksbury-Delaney Field. The Comets led 1-0 after the first inning in game one when Brody Parten singled, advanced to second base on a passed ball, went to third base on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch. Olivet took advantage of a error by the shortstop to score two unearned runs in the fifth inning. On the mound, Bryan Carney tossed a complete game, three-hitter. He struck out 14 and walked zero batters to improve to 2-0 on the season. Parten finished the game with two of the five Comet hits. In the nightcap, the Quakers scored a run in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly. Olivet then erupted for seven runs in the top of the third. The big hit of the inning was a grand slam by junior Ray Strzynski. After Wilmington plated two runs back in the fourth inning, the Comets immediately answered with two runs in their half of the fifth. Both teams scored a run in the sixth inning. At the plate, Olivet had nine hits. Austin Alflen, Wyatt Ball and EJ Suggitt each had two hits. Ball, Suggitt and Tyler Duncan scored two runs apiece. Logan Lewis picked-up the pitching win after giving up three runs (one earned) on eight hits over five innings.
Linfield (7-2, 2-0 NWC) started the first Northwest Conference series with a pair of wins in Saturday's doubleheader at George Fox (2-7, 0-2 NWC), winning 11-3 and 10-9. in the opener, The 'Cats scored 11 runs on 11 hits, thanks to a first-inning grand slam by McClory to set the tone. McClory's four runs batted in led the team, followed by Snidow who drove in three during his 2-5 day at the plate that included a two-run jack. Tacheny's seven strong innings allowing just four hits and a walk while striking out four gave him his first win of the season. For the nightcap, the Bruins tried to claw back with a leadoff home run to open the ninth, but Zack Hampson slammed the door with three-straight outs to end the game; Linfield won game two of the three-game series, 10-9.
Case Western Reserve junior Tyler Stillson threw a nine-inning complete game in the second of two games on Saturday to lead the Spartans to a split at the Washington & Jefferson Invitational in Washington, Pennsylvania. The Spartans suffered an 11-6 loss to Scranton in the first game, before coming away with a 5-1 win over host Washington & Jefferson in the second contest of the day. Stillson stole the show in the second game of the day, going the distance to pick up his second win in as many starts this season in the outing against Washington & Jefferson. He allowed just one unearned run on three hits with two walks and struck out a career-high 11 hitters. Stillson needed just 110 pitches to navigate the outing. Game one was a see-saw game until Scranton added four runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull away late for the five-run win. Washington & Jefferson defeated Scranton 8-6 in other Classis action.
On a gorgeous Saturday for baseball, the Diamond Royals welcomed in Penn State Altoona for a doubleheader at Royals Field. The home crowd had plenty to cheer about as EMU scored a combined 34 runs across the two games to sweep the twin bill, 12-7 and 21-5, over the Lions. Of note, EMU scored 11 innings in the fifth inning of game two, the most runs scored in an inning by the Diamond Royals since February 20, 2016, when they tallied 15 runs in the sixth inning of a 21-3 win over Juniata. The 21 runs overall in game two is the most by EMU in a game since they scored 22 against Mary Baldwin on February 26, 2025. EMU shut the door on game one with four runs in the bottom of the seventh. It was Trevor Gjormand who had the game-ending hit with a double to center field, sending Jett Cabanban to put EMU up 12-2 and give the Royals the win via the 10-run rule. Just like game one, the Diamond Royals set the tone early in game two by pushing six runs across in the first inning. PSU Altoona edged a little closer in the top of the fifth with two runs to get within five at 10-5. If there was still any doubt as to the game's outcome, the Royals erased it in emphatic fashion with their 11 run inning.
Lewis & Clark rallied for a 7-6 win in game two to split Saturday's Northwest Conference doubleheader against Pacific Lutheran University at Jerry Gatto Field. Lewis and Clark lost the opener 8-3. In game one, Pacific Lutheran added three runs in the seventh on a solo home run and a two-RBI double. Ryan Youch singled in another run in the eighth to push the lead to 8-2. Joaquin Sandoval homered to left in the bottom of the ninth for the final run. in game two, Pafici Lutheran held a late lead. 6-4 Pacific Lutheran lead. Lewis & Clark responded in the bottom half of the seventh for the winning margin.
Catholic welcomed in RPI on Saturday afternoon for its first doubleheader of the season with an opportunity to continue to stack some wins early in the season, wining 11-10 and 6-3. in game one, after the pitching from Roman Tozzi and Liam Riordan reigned supreme throughout the first three innings of the ballgame, both offenses hung a crooked number in the fourth inning to spark what would become a high scoring affair. After a shutdown eighth inning from Jake Kenney, the Cardinals took back the lead with Lance Eilbacher added some cushion to the lead. Despite the Engineers pushing across two runs in the top of the ninth, Jack Scholz locked things down when he came in for the final out of the game and he punched out the lone batter he faced for his third save of the season to wrap up a game one victory for the Cardinals. in the nightcap, Eilbacher started game two off with a bang when he launched a 382 foot home run into left field in the bottom of the first inning to immediately give Catholic a two-run lead. Richard Belli was sharp in his start for the Cardinals, working through five innings while only allowing three hits and punching out six batters to keep the Engineers off the board during his time on the bump. The Engineers scratched across a run in the top of the eighth but the Cardinals bullpen kept things under control and Sean Murphy closed out the ninth inning with his first career save, completing the doubleheader sweep.
Wooster cruised in the nightcap behind dominant performances by sophomore right-hander Dame Frayne and sophomore third baseman Maanav Bhatt. The Fighting Scots rallied back from an 8-1 setback to SUNY Oneonta in the series opener with a convincing 10-0 win in the nightcap at Art Murray Field. Frayne (2-0) was lights out from the get-go, setting down the first eight Red Dragons he faced before Anthony Loia punched a two-out single up the middle in the third inning. He faced the minimum through 5 2/3 innings, thanks to battery mate Colin Leslie. The Scots' senior catcher caught Loia napping at first for his second picked off Red Dragon of the day. Leslie erased Oneonta's bloop single in the fourth by throwing out his third would-be base stealer in five games this spring. Frayne fired a four-hit, seven-inning shutout. He struck out four and needed just 78 pitches. He faced three batters over the minimum and worked out of a jam in the seventh. Following a Wooster error, Oneonta had runners on the corners. Frayne recorded his fourth strike out prior to Grossman snaring a sinking liner in right field for the final out of the frame.
Marymount picked up a doubleheader sweep, 9-8 and 8-7, over the Hampden-Sydney Tigers on Saturday afternoon at home, walking off game two. Marymount exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning in the opener, highlighted by a two-run triple off the bat of Anthony Farmakides, to take the lead into the top of the seventh. The visiting Tigers threatened in the top of the seventh, but Michael Arce secured the save to give the Saints the win. In the second game, H-SC evened up the tally in the top of the ninth, and with the Saints going quietly in the bottom of the inning, the game continued into extras. It didn't take long, as Joshmar Carbonell knocked an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th, scoring Tyler Woodring who singled to open the frame, sending the Marymount faithful into hysterics under the lights.
Mary Washington swept its Saturday doubleheader, 11-10 and 6-0, with Southern Virginia at Dickinson Stadium in Fredericksburg, Va. The Eagles won a back-and-forth game on Nicholas Chambers' walk-off bunt single before turning in a dominant pitching performance with crafty base running in game two. After the Knights tied game one once more in the seventh, it was Ryan Henson who once again broke the tie with an RBI single before Oliver Martin added another run on a single to give UMW a 10-8 lead. Southern Virginia tied it once more in the top of the ninth, but after an Eric Powell double and a Nicholas Chambers sac bunt attempt that turned into a hit that drove Powell home, the Eagles came away with the walk-off victory. In game two, the Eagles used dominant pitching, timely hitting, and crafty base running to come away with the victory. Jackson Myers turned in a great performance on the mound as he tossed six innings of one-hit baseball, blanking Southern Virginia on the scoreboard. He added nine punchouts and only had to work around two base runners in his outing. Meanwhile, Jake Herbst, Jackson Beale, and Nick Jordan all tossed an inning each in the shutout.
Dominican started their 2026 season in Kentucky against Wheaton College on Saturday and defeated the Thunder 9-7. The Thunder scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to take a 6-5 lead on 6 hits. Then added onto their lead, making it 7-5 in the bottom of the 7th. Dominican took the lead back with a 3-run home run from Matthew Earley in the top of the 8th. They were able to bring in one more run from an RBI walk from Pogorzelski. The Thunder was able to load the bases but was unable to score when Senior Jackson Tanko came in to pitch, striking out the two batters he faced. Tanko carried the momentum into the bottom of the 9th, making the Wheaton hitters go 3 up 3 down.
Bethany swept Penn State University-Beaver in a non-conference doubleheader by final scores of 8-0 and 7-1 at Bethany Park. In the first of two, senior right-hander Payton Zupko got his first start of the year as he went five innings striking out eight and allowing only three hits on his way to the winning decision. Junior left-hander Tristan Simrau and sophomore right-hander Billy Sloan pitched the sixth and seventh, respectively, where they each limited PSU-Beaver to two hits. in the second game, freshman left-hander and PAC Newcomer of the Week Noah Stonerock picked up his second win of the year behind four innings where he did not allow an earned run and struck out four of his 17 batters.
Geneva was scheduled to play two seven-inning games against La Roche on Saturday afternoon on the Golden Tornadoes' home opening day of play. The two squads ended up playing the equivalent of three games when the first game went 14 innings, but the extra effort proved worthwhile as Geneva captured two dramatic one-run victories, 5-4 and 9-8. La Roche got one of those runs back off the Geneva bullpen in the sixth, and then the Golden Tornado defense allowed La Roche to tie the game in the seventh when a runner reached first off a passed ball on a swinging strikeout, and then with two outs he stole second and came around on two throwing errors to even the score at 4-4, sending the game to extra innings. Both team's pitching staff dominated in the extra frames. In fact, through the first three extra innings, just one of the 18 combined batters for both team reached base, and that was a Redhawk who singled with two outs in the tenth and was promptly caught stealing. Geneva finally broke through in the bottom of the 14th inning when Twigg led off with a double and later scored on a wild pitch, giving the Golden Tornadoes a dramatic 5-4 walk-off win. In game two, the Golden Tornadoes opened a 4-1 lead after one inning. La Roche rallied with three runs in the top of the second, though, and the Geneva offense went silent against Redhawks' reliever Izaak Ogrodowcyzk. Just as the light was starting to fade in the late afternoon, though, the Geneva offense came to life in the bottom of the sixth giving Geneva the lead back. The umpires allowed La Roche the opportunity to take its turn to bat in the top of the seventh despite conditions starting to get dark, but sophomore Jake Buyajian quickly retired the Redhawks in order to secure the second dramatic victory of the day, this one 9-8.
MSOE split Saturday, defeating Central College 9-4 with Jake Franks having five RBIs before falling to Westminster (Mo.) 14-4. MSOE (4-3, 0-0 NACC) swung the bats early as back-to-back doubles in the top of the first as AJ Le drove in Christian Bosque for the first run of the game. Jake Franks continued to showcase his power, blasting a three-run home run in the second inning, making it 4-0 early. Zach Brzezinski held Central (2-3, 0-0 American Rivers) scoreless for the first four innings until they put up a two spot in the fifth. Charlie Claas would answer in the sixth, driving in Jordan Skolmar on a sacrifice fly before Franks would add two more on and RBI double to make it 7-2. The Raiders would add on two more runs, one in the seventh and one in ninth, being an AJ Le blast. Westminster (4-7, 0-0 SLIAC) got after the Raiders in a hurry, putting up seven runs in the first inning. The Raiders chipped away but the Blue Jays lengthened the lead to go ahead 11-2 after five innings. The Raiders would score a few more runs but could not match the Westmister offense.