TUCSON, Ariz. – Malone University (Ohio) used clutch two-out hitting to earn a 6-4 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in college baseball on Thursday at the Kino Sports Complex.
The Pioneers, now 9-3 overall, used three two-out hits in the fifth to break a 2-2 game and then added an insurance run in the seventh on a two-out run-scoring hit.
SMSU, which drops to 4-2 on the season, collected 10 hits in the game with Chace McDaniel,
Keenan Wenzel,
Peyton Nash and
Caleb Gardow all finishing with two hits.
The Pioneers scored a run in the home half of the second to take an early lead, but the Mustangs answered back in the top of the third as McDaniel hammered his first home run of the season over the center field fence to tie the game at 1-1.
SMSU took the lead in the fourth as Nash and Gardow singled to put runners on the corners.
Robbie Smith followed with a fielder's choice grounder to plate Nash and put the Mustangs up 2-1.
MU tied the game with a run in the fourth and then regained the lead with a three-run fifth.
Theo Giedd replaced SMSU starting pitcher
Logan McCray with one out and a runner on in the fifth. Giedd struck out the first batter he faced, but three straight singles followed as the Pioneers pushed the lead to 5-2.
SMSU cut into the deficit in the top of the sixth as
Jake Tauer walked and moved to second on a single by
Keenan Wenzel. Gardow plated one run with a sac fly before McDaniel came through with a two-out single to score Wenzel to cut the MU lead to 5-4.
SMSU threatened to score in the top of the seventh with two runners on base, but a ground out ended the rally. MU countered in the home half of the frame with another big two-out RBI single to move the advantage to 6-4 after seven complete.
McCray (0-1), making his first career start, completed 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Giedd recorded a career-high six strikeouts as he tossed the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks
SMSU continues play on Friday with a pair of games. The Mustangs take on Concordia-St. Paul for a non-conference match-up at 10 a.m. CST before facing Walsh University (Ohio) at 1:30 p.m. CST.
