LIVONIA, Mich. - - The Madonna baseball team wrapped up the 2008 WHAC season with a sweep of visiting Concordia on Saturday at Ilitch Ballpark by finals of 11-2 and 12-1. The wins improve MU to 19-5 in the WHAC and 31-12 overall. Concordia is now 27-20 overall and ends the WHAC slate at 11-13. Between games the MU athletic department honored the 11-member senior class for its efforts with the Madonna baseball program.
GAME ONE
Concordia plated a run in the top of the first to take the early 1-0 lead but that did not stand up long as the Crusaders got two runs in the bottom of the second using a Kevin Zerbo (Farmington, Mich.) double to open the inning. Pat Kenny (Utica, Mich.) followed, reaching on a two-base error to score Zerbo and make it 1-1. Scott Boyer (Flat Rock, Mich.) doubled in Kenny to make it 2-2 after two complete.
The Cards made it 2-2 in the top of the third, but the Crusader bats responded with five runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Levi Cheshire (Troy, Mich.)led off with a single and after Shawn Little (Canton, Mich.) reached on an error and Zerbo drew a walk, Kenny singled to left to score Cheshire and make it 3-2 MU. Dave Herrick (Westland, Mich.) was hit by a pitch to force in Little and make it 4-2. Boyer then drove in Zerbo and Kenny, making it a 6-2 game. Herrick then came home from second on a sacrifice fly to deep center field off the bat of Zack McMillin (Grand Ledge, Mich.) to make it a 7-2 ball game.
The Crusaders tacked on single runs in the fourth and fifth as Cheshire scored on a passed ball in the fourth and doubles from Herick and Drew Adamiec (Walled Lake, Mich.) made it 9-2 after five. MU added two more runs in the sixth for the 11-2 final.
Eric Wendling (New Lothrop, Mich.) threw a complete game for Madonna, picking up his fourth win of the season. Wendling scattered seven hits and allowed just one earned run. Zerbo was 3-for-3 while Boyer went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
GAME TWO
Madonna took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and that would prove to be more than enough as the Crusaders rolled to a 12-1 win in the night cap.
After back-to-back-to-back walks to Ryan Morrow (Taylor, Mich.), Cheshire and Herrick loaded the bases to start the game, Zerbo drove in Morrow and Cheshire with a single to left for a 2-0 lead.
Concordia scores its lone run of the game in the top of the second, cutting the MU lead to just one at 2-1.
Madonna blew the game open in the second, scoring five times to take a 7-1 lead. Little drove in Mike Cauzillo (West Bloomfield, Mich.) who had been hit by a pitch and then stole second to make it 3-1. Matt Kondziolka (Warren, Mich.) doubled in Little to make it 4-1. Morrow then drove in pinch runner Mike Gansser (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) with a single to make it 5-1. Morrow then stole second during a walk to Cheshire. Herrick reached on a fielder's choice that cut Morrow down, but allowed Cheshire to score on a throwing error by CU to increase the MU lead to 6-1. It became 7-1 when Herrick came home on a wild pitch to give Madonna a six run lead after two.
MU added to the lead in the third, scoring four more times as Cauzillo led off with a single and came home on a Little triple to make it 8-1. Kondziolka walked and that brought pinch hitter Drew Fry (Madison Heights, Mich.) to the plate. The sophomore second baseman delivered his first home run of the season to left, scoring three runs to make it 11-1.
The Crusaders wrapped up their scoring in the fourth, as after McMillin reached on a fielder's choice and stole second, Cauzillo doubled McMillin home to make it 12-1.
Ryan Bardoni (Warren, Mich.) threw a perfect fifth for Madonna, picking up the victory in the Crusaders 12-1 run-rule win. Cauzillo and Little both went 2-for-2 with Little and Zerbo driving in two runs each. MU starter Richard Lindquist (Tecumseh, Ont.) went 3 1/3 innings, scattering four hits.
The Crusaders will now wrap up the regular season on Monday in a single nine-inning game with Rochester. First pitch at Ilitch Ballpark is set for 3pm.
