Box Score

The Malone University baseball team tallied a 9-8 win on Saturday afternoon in the final game of its weekend series against the University of Findlay. 

After posting victories of 3-1 and 4-3 on Friday, the Pioneers completed the sweep with Saturday's win while improving their record to 8-11 overall and 3-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).  The Oilers, meanwhile, slipped to 3-10 and 0-3 in the conference.

Designated hitter Keanan Locke got things going in the first at-bat of the contest, leading off the game with a double and then later coming around to score on a RBI single by first baseman Logan Gray.

The Oilers pulled ahead with two runs in the bottom of the second before Malone fought back with a five-run third inning.  Another RBI single by Gray and a two-run single by leftfielder Michael Chack fueled the big inning.  Rightfielder Matt Wheeler and centerfielder Richie Mast also drove in runs, each with a sacrifice fly.

Findlay trimmed the deficit to 6-4 with two runs in the bottom of the third.  However, Malone pushed the advantage to 9-4, scoring on an RBI single by catcher Matt Davis in the fifth and a two-run single by shortstop Kyler King in the seventh.

Findlay refused to surrender, though, bringing home three runs in the bottom of the seventh and one run in the bottom of the ninth. 

With two outs, Malone clinging to a 9-8 advantage and Findlay with runners on first and second, Pioneer reliever Branden Carey induced a pop out to second to secure the win and notch his second save of the season.

Gunnar Smeyres earned the win (2-3) after entering the game in the third and tossing 4.2 innings of relief.

Malone racked up 15 hits in the contest with two apiece for Locke, Wheeler, Gray, Davis, second baseman Tyler Eagon, and third baseman Jon Crank.

The Pioneers will be back in action on Tuesday with a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader at rival Walsh University.