April 12, 2008
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Pioneers Sweep Doubleheaders With Ohio Dominican and Notre Dame, Take Over Top Spot In Conference StandingsThe Malone College baseball team moved into first place atop the American Mideast Conference standings this weekend after posting a 4-0 record in home doubleheaders against Ohio Dominican University and Notre Dame (OH) College. The Pioneers defeated Ohio Dominican 4-0 and 6-5 on Friday before celebrating Coach Bob Starcher Memorial Day on Saturday with wins of 19-6 (in five innings) and 4-2 over Notre Dame. ODU, ranked 21st in the most recent NAIA National Poll, had entered Friday leading the AMC with a 9-1 mark in conference play but following this weekend’s action Malone has claimed the top spot as the squad now holds a 13-3 record in AMC competition (24-9 overall). With approximately three weeks remaining in the regular season, Ohio Dominican is now second in the 10-team conference with an 11-3 mark (24-10 overall) while Walsh University is right behind at 12-5 (18-12 overall).
In Friday’s opener against ODU, junior right-handed starting pitcher Sam Campitella (Jackson H.S.) led the Pioneers to the 4-0 victory after working a complete-game, six-hit shutout. With the strong outing, Campitella picked up his fourth win of the season (4-0) while lowering his conference-best earned run average to 0.72. Junior first baseman Ryan Baechel (GlenOak H.S.) gave Malone an early 1-0 advantage in the contest after clubbing a solo homer in the bottom of the first inning. The hosts brought home two runs in the bottom of the second with a successful suicide squeeze bunt by freshman infielder Justin Shiflett (Zane Trace H.S.) and then tacked on an insurance run in the fifth with a two-out RBI single by junior shortstop Scott McIlvain (Marlington H.S.).
In Friday’s second game, junior catcher Zac Barson’s (Canton South H.S.) clutch, bases-loaded single drove home senior centerfielder Troy Richeson (Minerva H.S.) in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Malone a thrilling 6-5 win. The Pioneers had held an early 4-1 lead in the contest before Panther third baseman Matt Shiring blasted a three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning to knot the game at 4-4. Richeson quickly put Malone back in front 5-4 in the bottom of the frame with a one-out RBI single. The score then remained unchanged until the top of the seventh when Ohio Dominican pushed a run across to once again tie the score at 5-5. Richeson ripped a one-out triple to get things going in the bottom of the seventh. The Panthers then elected to intentionally walk McIlvain and Baechel to set up a potential double play but Barson foiled their strategy by delivering the game-winning base hit up the middle. Freshman right-hander Bryan Bayer (Fairless H.S.) earned the win in relief (2-1) after recording the final two outs in the top of the seventh inning.
Against Notre Dame in game one on Saturday, the Pioneers racked up 14 hits and took advantage of five Falcon fielding errors in a convincing 19-6, five-inning victory. Malone plated nine runs in the bottom of the first, added two runs in the second and then put the game away with eight additional runs in the bottom of the third. Junior right-hander Adam Boudler (Louisville H.S.) started the game and recorded his team-leading sixth victory (6-2) of the season after giving up just three hits over three scoreless innings of work. Five different Pioneers recorded at least two hits in the game as McIlvain went 3-3 with three runs scored and three RBI. Senior left-fielder Chris Mandeville (Tuslaw H.S.) also recorded three hits in three at-bats with two runs scored and four runs batted in. Baechel drove home four runs with a two-run double and a two-run homer, Richeson went 2-3 at the plate with four runs scored and three RBI while Barson went 2-4 with one run batted in.
After all the offense in Saturday’s opener, pitching was the story in the nightcap as sophomore lefty Todd Liberatore (Tusc. Central Catholic H.S.) went the distance on the mound for a 4-2 victory. Liberatore, who also tossed a complete game in the Pioneers’ 4-2 triumph over the University of Rio Grande on Monday, improved to 5-0 on the season after surrendering just two runs (one earned) on six hits over seven innings pitched. After each team tallied a run in its half of the first inning, Malone took the lead in the bottom of the second by loading the bases and then drawing three consecutive RBI walks. The Falcons scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth to trim the Pioneers’ advantage to 4-2 but the visitors were then unable to get any closer over the remainder of the contest. Although Malone matched a season low with just four hits, the hosts’ patient approach at the plate paid off as the squad racked up a season-high eight bases on balls. McIlvain went 2-3 in the contest with one run scored and Barson went 1-2 at the plate with two runs batted in.
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