Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Malone University baseball team suffered a pair of losses to Northwestern (IA) College on Tuesday, its second day of competition in Arizona at the Tucson Invitational.  The Red Raiders stretched their win streak to nine in a row after pocketing a 5-4, eight-inning victory in the opener and a 6-1 triumph in the finale

Malone, now 1-3 overall, will have a day off in Arizona on Wednesday.  The Pioneers will be back in action on Thursday with single games vs. Morningside (IA) College at 11:00 a.m. MST (1:00 p.m. EST) and Northwestern at 3:00 p.m. MST (5:00 p.m. EST) .

Game One Recap
After falling behind 3-1 in the opener, the Pioneers rallied back to tie the game in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI double by designated hitter Michael Chack and a run-scoring single by shortstop Bryce Miller.  Malone later grabbed a 4-3 lead in the fifth on a two-out RBI single by leftfielder Ryan Froman.

Northwestern then forced extra innings, scoring one run in the bottom of the seventh.  After the tying run had scored, freshman Gunnar Smeyres managed to escape a bases-loaded jam, inducing a double play to send the contest to the eighth inning.  Miller led off the top of the eighth with a double but the Pioneers were unable to bring him home.  A Red Raider triple and a Malone error then allowed the winning run to cross the plate in the bottom of the inning.

Right-hander Gary Lawrence tossed the first six innings for the Pioneers, surrendering six hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out seven.  Smeyres was saddled with loss (0-1) after giving up the unearned run in the eighth.

Catcher Hayden Mobley registered three hits and scored two runs to lead the way for the Pioneer line-up.  Miller and first baseman Logan Gray each added a pair of base hits.

Game Two Recap
Malone was limited to one run on three hits in the finale.  Gray knotted the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second after leading off the frame with a triple and then coming home to score on a groundout by third baseman Jon Crank.

However, Northwestern pulled away, plating one run in the third, two runs in the fourth and one run each in the sixth and seventh frames.

Right-hander Jack McDonald started on the mound and took the loss (0-1) after surrendering four runs (two earned) on six hits over four innings of work.