The Malone College baseball team split a doubleheader with Mount Vernon Nazarene University at home last Tuesday as the squad tallied a 9-3 victory in game one before falling in game two by a final score of 9-8. The Pioneers then hosted a pair of American Mideast Conference North Division contests with Geneva (PA) College on Friday evening at Thurman Munson Stadium, falling 7-3 in the opener and 4-1 in the nightcap. Malone rebounded on Saturday, though, to record a pair of important victories at Geneva by final scores of 2-1 and 7-1. Following the 3-3 week, the squad is now 19-24 overall with a 7-5 mark in the AMC North.
In Tuesday’s opener with Mount Vernon Nazarene, the Pioneers scored runs in each of the first four innings to take an 8-1 lead. The Cougars posted two runs in the top of the fifth but it was not nearly enough as Malone went on to tally a 9-3 victory. Sophomore Sam Campitella (Jackson H.S.) started on the mound and recorded his third win of the season after limiting Mount Vernon Nazarene to three runs on seven hits over five innings pitched. The Pioneers clubbed 14 hits in the contest as sophomore Zach Zifzal (Meadowbrook H.S.) went 4-4 at the plate with two runs scored and two runs batted in.
In game two on Tuesday, the Cougars rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning to break a 7-7 tie. Sophomore Jon Lutton (Louisville H.S.) then led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homerun to cut the deficit to one but Malone was unable to manufacture the tying run and thus fell by the final score of 9-8. Sophomore Adam Boudler (Louisville H.S.) suffered the loss after entering the game in the sixth inning and giving up four runs on five hits over two innings of work. Offensively, sophomore Zac Barson (Canton South H.S.) went 2-3 with a run-scoring single and a two-run homer.
Against Geneva in game one on Friday, the visitors jumped out to a 7-0 lead by the fifth inning. Malone scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning but came up short in the 7-3 loss. Bob Dubovec (Sr., Kenston H.S.) posted two hits on the day while Lutton had a double that drove in two runs. Zac Barson had the other RBI and one hit while three other Pioneers had one hit each. Ryan Hartong (So., Dalton H.S.) took the loss for Malone as he pitched 4 2/3 innings (5 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 4 K) while Todd Liberatore (Fr., Tusky Central Catholic H.S.) pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief (1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K).
In Friday’s nightcap with Geneva, the Golden Tornadoes again jumped out to a lead, this time a 4-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning. Malone scored one run in the fifth inning but could not get any closer in the 4-1 loss. Jimmy Dowling (Jr., Tuslaw H.S.) went the distance on the mound for Malone but took the loss (8 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 5 K). John Stallings (Jr., Louisville H.S.) and Barson each posted a double while Dubovec had a single. Chris Mandeville (Jr., Tuslaw H.S.) had Malone's only RBI (fielder's choice).
Against Geneva in Saturday’s opener, junior Troy Richeson (Minerva H.S.) came through with a hit in the top of the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie and put Malone in front 2-1. This one-run lead would be all starter Sam Campitella would need as he recorded the final three outs of the game to record his second victory of the week. Campitella allowed just four hits over seven innings of work while striking out five Geneva batters. Richeson finished the game with three of the Pioneers’ seven base hits.
In Saturday’s finale with Geneva, Malone scored seven runs on nine hits and committed one error in the 7-1 win. Boudler went the distance on the mound for the Pioneers to record his third victory of the year (3-6) after allowing just one run on six hits. Offensively, Richeson had yet another solid game with three hits and two RBI while sophomore Scott McIlvain (Marlington H.S.) added two hits and two runs scored.
This week, Malone (19-24, 7-5 AMC N) will wrap up its regular season schedule with four important games against local rival Walsh University (22-24, 9-3 AMC N). The Pioneers will travel to Walsh on Thursday for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader before returning home on Saturday to face the Cavaliers in another pair of games, also starting at 1:00 p.m. Saturday will be senior recognition day, as well as Bob Starcher Memorial Day in honor of the long-time Malone baseball head coach.
Softball Sweeps Doubleheaders With Ursuline, Ashland Before Dropping Pair Of Games To Urbana
The Malone College softball team wrapped up its 2007 season last week by posting a 4-2 record in three doubleheaders. The squad opened the week on Monday with a pair of victories at Ursuline College, winning game one 10-4 and game two 8-3. The Pioneers then traveled to NCAA Division II Ashland University on Tuesday where they picked up two more wins by final scores of 7-6 (8 innings) and 1-0. Malone was unable to keep its five-game winning streak alive on Saturday, though, as the squad dropped a pair of conference home games to Urbana University by the final scores of 9-8 (8 innings) and 14-2 (5 innings). With the 4-2 week, the Malone ends the year with an overall record of 14-22 and a 4-10 mark in the AMC South Division.
In Monday’s opener at Ursuline, the Pioneers scored in each of the first four innings to take a commanding 8-2 lead. The Arrows were able to trim the deficit to four with solo runs in both the fourth and fifth innings before Malone was able to cement the 10-4 victory with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Senior Cori Helm (Marion, IN) went the distance on the mound for the Pioneers to record her fifth win of the season after limiting Ursuline to four runs (three earned) on nine hits over seven innings of work. Malone smacked a season-high 15 hits in the contest as freshman Morgan Heacock (Mt. Gilead H.S.) went 4-5 at the plate, marking the first time this season that a Pioneer batter has recorded more than three hits in one game. Sophomore Caitlin Ott (Glendale, AZ) also had an impressive performance in game one as she drove in three runs with a one-run single and a two-run double. In addition, junior Holly Christopher (Garfield H.S.), junior Kathryn Bzdafka (Avon Lake H.S.) and freshman Leslie McCammon (Wadsworth H.S.) each recorded two hits in four at-bats.
Against Ursuline in game two, Malone scored three times in the top of the fifth inning to open up a 7-1 lead. The Arrows responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the Pioneers’ advantage to 7-3 but Ursuline was unable to close the gap any further as Malone plated an additional run in the top of the seventh to secure the 8-3 victory. Sophomore Ashleigh Ralston (Wadsworth H.S.) started on the mound and recorded her second win of the season (2-3) after allowing three runs on 11 hits over four and one-third innings pitched. Bzdafka relieved Ralston in the bottom of the fifth inning with two runners on base and one out and tossed two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief to record the squad’s first save of the year. Offensively, McCammon went 3-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and four RBI.
In Tuesday’s first game with Ashland, the Pioneers trailed 6-4 after five innings but then rallied to plate solo runs in the sixth and seventh innings and knot the score at 6-6. Freshman Laura Blackburn (Worthington H.S.) then led off the top of the eighth inning with a single and later came around to score the go-ahead run on a two-out double by junior Jenna Vrabel (Ursuline H.S.). The Golden Eagles threatened in the bottom of the inning by putting two runners on base with two outs but Bzdafka was able to escape the jam with a fly-out to centerfield and thus preserve Malone’s 7-6, eight-inning victory. Bzdafka, who has now pitched 11 complete games so far this season, claimed her sixth win of the year (6-9) after giving up six runs (five earned) on 14 hits over her eight innings of work. The Pioneers clubbed 14 hits in the game as eight of the squad’s nine starting players recorded at least one hit. Blackburn and Ott each smacked three hits in the contest while junior Ashlee Locker (Strasburg H.S.) drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double in the first inning.
Against Ashland in game two on Tuesday, Helm led Malone to a 1-0 victory after tossing a complete game six-hit shutout. Bzdafka scored the Pioneers' only run of the game in the fourth inning on a two-out single by Heacock. The Golden Eagles once again threatened late in the contest by putting a pair of runners on base with one out but Helm was able to retire the final two Ashland batters, securing the Pioneers' 1-0 win.
Against Urbana in game one on Saturday, the Blue Knights scored four times in the top of the fourth inning to take an 8-3 lead. Malone was able to answer back quickly, though, with four runs in the bottom of the inning that trimmed Urbana’s lead to just one run at 8-7. The score then remained unchanged until the bottom of the seventh inning as Heacock delivered a two-out, run-scoring single that knotted the score at 8-8 and sent the contest into extra innings. However, the Blue Knights were able to quickly retake the advantage with one run in the top of the eighth. The Pioneers were then unable to rally in the bottom of the inning as Urbana escaped with the 9-8, eight-inning win. Helm suffered the tough loss (6-8) despite allowing just one run on three hits over four and one-third innings of relief. Malone smacked 14 hits in the contest as Christopher (Garfield H.S.) went 3-4 at the plate with a triple and an RBI single.
In Saturday’s finale with Urbana, the visitors used a seven-run fourth inning to blow open a close game and pull away for a 14-2, five-inning win. Ralston started on the mound and suffered the loss (2-4) after giving up four runs on five hits over three innings of work. Bzdafka drove in both of the Pioneers' runs with a fifth-inning double.
Men's And Women's Track & Field Competes At Hillsdale Relays
The Malone College men's and women's track & field teams sent athletes to the Hillsdale College Relays in Hillsdale, Michigan last Saturday as numerous Pioneers posted NAIA national qualifying marks.
For the men's team, Chris Sinick (Fr., Field H.S.) finished fifth in the one mile run in a qualifying time of 4:11.11 while Mike Coates (Jr., Sandy Valley H.S.) placed 16th in the 1500 meters in 3:56.70, also a qualifying time (provisional).
In the men's 5000 meters, Ryan Kienzle (Jr., GlenOak H.S.) finished 14th in a qualifying time of 14:29.58 while Justin Baum (Jr., Kenston H.S.) came in 28th in 14:43.34, also a qualifying time.
Evan Gaynor (Fr., Delta H.S.) finished 39th in the 10,000 meters in a qualifying time of 31:29.97 while Paul Robinson (Fr., Field H.S.) came in 45th in a qualifying time of 31:45.37.
For the Malone women, Rebekah Genter (So., Crestview H.S.) finished 16th in the 10,000 meters in an automatic qualifying time of 38:29.71. Kalie Hauenstein (Fr., Ashland H.S.) placed 38th in the 5000 meters in a provisional qualifying time of 18:11.72 while, in the same race, Katie Bagley (So., Van Wert H.S.) finished 40th in a provisional qualifying time of 18:15.71.
This week, the teams will compete at the NCCAA National Championships in Upland, Indiana May 3-5.
