Box Score

The Malone University baseball team dropped the final contest of its three-game weekend series at Ashland University on Saturday by a final score of 8-7.  After the Pioneers captured both of Friday's match-ups by scores of 5-4 and 9-8, the Eagles managed to avoid the sweep with a one-run victory of their own on Saturday.

Malone slipped to 17-22 overall and 12-12 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with the defeat while Ashland improved to 19-15 overall and 9-10 in conference play.

After trailing by early deficits of 3-0, 4-2 and 6-3, the Pioneers managed to knot the score with a three-run outburst in the top of the fifth.  Designated hitter Austin Pachan brought home the first run of the fifth with an infield single.  Two batters later, shortstop Kyler King stepped to the plate and lined a two-out, two-run single to centerfield, tying the game at 6-6.

Ashland quickly regained the advantage in the bottom of the inning, plating a pair of runs to pull in front 8-6.  An RBI single by Malone catcher Matt Davis trimmed the deficit to 8-7 in the top of the sixth, but the Pioneers were unable to manufacture any additional offense the rest of the way.

The visitors threatened in the seventh, putting a pair of runners on base with one out.  However, Ashland reliever Alex Smith managed to escape the seventh-inning trouble with a pair of fly-outs.  He then retired six of the seven batters he faced in the eighth and ninth innings to preserve the one-run victory.

Smith tossed the final 5.1 innings, improving to 5-4 on the season after giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits.

Each squad registered 10 base hits in the game.  King went 3-for-5 at the dish for the Pioneers with one run scored and two runs driven in.  Centerfielder Keanan Locke and leftfielder Hayden Mobley each added a pair of hits. 

Malone will host its final home games of the season on Tuesday at Thurman Munson Stadium with a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader against Lake Erie College.  Bob Starcher Memorial Day will be celebrated prior to the start of game one while Senior Day festivities will take place between games.