Baseball - Malone defeats:
                           Walsh University  12-2 (5 inn.)
                           Walsh University  2-1
                           Walsh University  10-6
                    Malone lost to:
                           Walsh University  12-2 (5 inn.)
                    CURRENT RECORD:  19-4  (6-2 AMC North)

 

Men's Golf - Malone (A) won its own Malone-Zoar Invitational (at the Zoar Village Golf Course, Zoar, OH) among five teams last Friday and Saturday; Malone B placed second

                          
Men's and Women's Track & Field -  Malone sent distant athletes to the Raleigh Relays (hosted by North Carolina State University) on Friday and also sent several men's race walkers to the Cedarville University Invitational last Saturday.  NOTE:  The Muskingum College Invitational last Saturday was cancelled due to weather.

Baseball Takes Three Of Four From Walsh (Sweeps Bob Starcher Memorial Day); Currently Ranked #19 In The Nation

     The Malone College baseball team managed to sustain its early season success by winning three out of four games in a home and home series with Walsh University last week (two games at Walsh last Thursday and two games at Malone last Saturday).  The Pioneers took Thursday’s opener 12-2 in five innings (mercy rule) and then fell by the same 12-2 score in the second game (five innings: mercy rule).      
     On Saturday, Malone swept both games of the third annual Bob Starcher Memorial Day doubleheader, winning the opener 2-1 before taking the nightcap 10-6.  Two additional games slated for last Wednesday against Wilmington College were snowed out and will not be rescheduled.
     Prior to Thursday’s action, it was announced that for the first time since 1993, the baseball team is ranked in the NAIA’s national top 25 poll.  At #19, the Pioneers are currently the only American Mideast Conference team in either division (North or South) to be ranked in the top 25 (poll results are announced each Wednesday).  After the 3-1 week, Malone is currently in first place in the AMC North with a 19-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the division. 
     In the opener at Walsh, Malone jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning and then scored seven more runs in the top of the fifth to claim the 12-2 five-inning victory (mercy rule).  Korey Heppeard (Sr., Van Wert H.S.) started the game and earned his fourth win of the year (4-0) by allowing just two earned runs on four hits over five innings pitched.  The Pioneers pounded out 14 hits in the contest as Zac Barson (Fr., Canton South H.S.) went 2-3 with two runs scored and three RBI.    
     Walsh turned the tables in game two, though, scoring five runs in the second inning and four more runs in the fifth en route to the 12-2 five-inning victory.  Bob Dubovec (Jr., Kenston H.S.) suffered the loss (3-2) after surrendering five earned runs on nine hits over four innings pitched.  Malone recorded five hits in the game as Jarrod Stahl (Sr., Kenmore H.S.) went 2-2 with one run scored and two steals.  In addition, Dubovec went 1-2 at the plate, crushing a two-run homer in the top of the fourth inning. 
     Saturday was Bob Starcher Memorial Day in honor of the former long-time Malone baseball coach.  Game one of the doubleheader remained scoreless until Malone scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning to grab the 2-0 lead.  Walsh then threatened in the top of the seventh, scoring once before the Pioneers were able to squelch the rally and secure the 2-1 victory.  Dan Walker (Sr., Ellet H.S.) started on the mound and claimed his third victory of the season (3-1) after striking out 11 and allowing just one earned run on three hits over 6.2 innings pitched.  Anthony Barson (Sr., Timken H.S.) earned another save after entering the contest with two outs in the top of the seventh inning and extinguishing the Cavalier rally by inducing the final out of the game.  Alton Thompson (Sr., Coshocton H.S.) went 1-2, delivering an RBI double in the fifth inning.
     In the series finale, Malone used a seven-run third inning to take an 8-3 lead and then held on for the 10-6 victory.  Josh McKeivier (So., Strasburg Franklin H.S.) started the game, earning his third win of the season (3-1) after giving up just three runs (one earned) on two hits over 4.1 innings pitched.  Anthony Barson earned his second save of the day after pitching the final 2.2 innings.  Malone smacked eleven hits in the game as Zac Barson went 2-4 with a solo home run and an RBI single.  In addition, Josh Spencer (Jr., Canton Cent. Catholic H.S.) scored two runs and went 2-3 with a two-run double.     
     This week, Malone (19-4, 6-2 AMC N) is scheduled to host Mt. Union College (7-5) in a single game on Monday at 3:00 p.m. and Baldwin-Wallace College (9-4) in a single game on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m.  On Friday, Malone will continue conference play by traveling to Notre Dame College (11-11, 2-2 AMC N) for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader before returning home for two more games against Notre Dame on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m.

Men's Golf Captures Malone-Zoar Invitational; Grant Gates Ties School Record With 66 As Malone Shoots Three-Under Par On Day One

     Despite playing in terrible weather conditions last Friday and Saturday, which included snow showers both days, the Malone College men's golf team posted the second-best score ever for the program on day one of the two-day Malone-Zoar Invitational at the Zoar Village Golf Course.  Posting a three-under par 285 on Friday, which tied for the second-best Malone round ever (2000 Malone team at the NAIA national tournament), the Malone A team went on to win the event among five teams with a score of 585 (285-300).  In addition, Malone's Grant Gates (Jr., River Valley H.S.) shot an unbelievable round of 66 on day one to tie the school record (Ken Hyland in 1969, Josh Anderson in 2000).  Malone is currently ranked 8th in scoring average in the NAIA with an average of 295.0.
     The Malone B team took second place at 614 (304-310), Ohio Dominican University placed third at 632 (317-315), Owens Community College took fourth at 633 (317-316) and Lorain Community College was fifth at 699 (353-346).
     Gates took overall medalist honors at the event with a 138 (66-72) while fellow A team member Darren Phipps (So., Lake H.S.) took third overall at 147 (72-75).  Other Malone A scores included Scott Shenker (Sr., Twinsburg H.S.), who was fourth overall at 148 (73-75), Scotty Jones (Jr., East Palestine H.S.) at 152 (74-78) and Aaron Strauch (Sr., Emporium, PA) at 155 (76-79).
     The Malone B team was paced by Garret Barbush (Jr., Manheim, PA) who fired a 150 (74-76) and finished in fifth place overall.  Other Pioneer B scores included Nate Garwood (Jr., Ridgedale H.S.) at 155 (78-77), Michael Johnson (Fr., Lake H.S.) at 156 (75-81), Jordan Grubb (Jr., Lake H.S.) at 156 (80-76) and Matt Strayer (So., Riverside H.S.) at 158 (77-81).
     Gates, Phipps, Shenker and Barbush were all named to the Malone-Zoar Invitational All-Tournament Team.
     This week, the Malone B team will compete at the Westminster (PA) College Invitational on Monday (12:00 p.m.) while the Malone A team will travel to Eastern Kentucky University for the EKU Invitational on Friday (8:00 a.m.) and Saturday (8:00 a.m.).

Track & Field Competes At Raleigh Relays, Four National-Qualifying Times Posted; More Race Walkers Qualify At Cedarville Invitational

 

     The Malone College men's and women's track & field teams sent distance runners to the prestigious Raleigh Relays, hosted by North Carolina State University, last Friday and four athletes turned in NAIA national-qualifying marks in the process.
     Joanna Genter (Jr., Crestview H.S.) posted a personal-best time of 17:14.87 in the 5000-meter seeded event as she won her race against numerous NCAA Div. I runners to qualify for NAIA nationals.  Katie Bagley (Fr., Crestview H.S.) and Amy Iatauro (Sr., CVCA) also competed in the seeded event and posted times of 18:18.44 and 19:14.91, respectively.
     Ashley Thomas (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska) finished 12th in a 5000-meter unseeded event in 18:40.35 while Caity Schneider (Jr., Sandy Valley H.S.) was right behind in 13th in 18:41.77.  In addition, Rebekah Genter (Fr., Crestview H.S.) finished 27th in 19:27.91.
     For the men, Nik Schweikert (Fr., Beavercreek H.S.) won race #3 of the 5000-meter unseeded event in a time of 14.54.73 which qualified him for the NAIA national meet.  Ryan Kienzle (So., GlenOak H.S.), who has been battling an injury, finished 16th in 15:18.49.
     Leo Kormanik (Sr., Ellet H.S.) finished fourth overall, and qualified for NAIA nationals, in the 10,000-meter seeded event in a time of 30:02.79.  In addition, Justin Baum (So., Kenston H.S.) also qualified for NAIA nationals by finishing seventh in the 10,000-meter unseeded race in a time of 31:41.96.
     At the Cedarville University Invitational on Saturday, five Malone men's race walkers turned in NAIA automatic or provisional qualifying times in the 5000-meter race walk.  Brad Sinick (Jr., Field H.S.) and Nate Hughes (Jr., Worthington Christian H.S.) each posted auto qualifying marks with times of 27:01.45 and 27:21.19, respectively.  Provisional qualifiers included Bryan Lopes (So., Coffman H.S.) at 30:03.40, Jeremiah Stauffer (So., Youngstown, OH) at 31:08.99 and Joe Carmany (Jr., New Middletown Springfield H.S.) at 31:50.04.

    NOTE:  The Muskingum College Invitational scheduled for last Saturday was cancelled due to weather.

    This week, the Malone teams will compete at the Ohio University Invitational on Friday (12:00 p.m.) and Saturday (9:00 a.m.).

Women’s Tennis Team Defeats Seton Hill 6-3

     The Malone College women’s tennis team posted a 6-3 victory against Seton Hill (PA) University at home last Friday in its only match of the week last week.  Malone has now won three straight matches overall and has a 5-5 record (0-0 AMC South).     
     All of the Pioneer singles wins came in straight sets.  Scores for the Seton Hill match were as follows:
#1 Camelia Urdea (So., Brasov, Romania)          L 6-2, 6-1
#2 Ann Marie Burton (Fr., Wadsworth H.S.)           L 6-4, 6-2
#3 Jackie Quilter (So., GlenOak H.S.)                     W 7-5, 6-2  
#4 Gina Bayzie (Sr., Brecksville H.S.)                      W 6-1, 6-1
#5 Chelsie Helbeck (Sr., East Palestine H.S.)      W 7-5, 7-6
#6 Laura Wenger (Sr., Louisville H.S.)                   W 6-0, 6-1    
#1 Urdea/Burton                                                          L 8-4
#2 Emily Farls (Jr., Beaver, PA)/Quilter                   W 8-4
#3 Helbeck/Bayzie (Sr., Brecksville H.S.)                W 10-7
     This week, Malone (5-5) will compete at The College of Wooster on Wednesday in a 4:00 p.m. match and will close out the week on Saturday in a home match against Cedarville University at 1:00 p.m.

Men's Tennis Team Loses To Aquinas 8-1