Site: Point Lookout, Mo. (Ozarks Stadium)
Scores: No. 18 Madonna 13, Missouri Baptist 3; No. 18 Madonna 10, College of the Ozarks 2
Records: Madonna - 18-2; Missouri Baptist - 12-10; College of the Ozarks - 6-15
Next Event: 3/21| Madonna vs. Missouri Baptist (11am); Madonna vs. College of the Ozarks (4pm)
MISSOURI BAPTIST BOX SCORE | COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS BOX SCORE
POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - - The No. 18 Madonna University baseball team used a Kevin Zerbo (Farmington, Mich.) home run and an outstanding pitching performance from Jeff Sonnenberg (Holt, Mich.) in game one of the day and a three-hitter from Tom Hansen (Rochester Hills, Mich.) in the night cap to sweep a split double header. MU downed Missouri Baptist 13-3 and took care of its host, College of the Ozarks 10-2 to open a weekend swing into the "Show-Me State" on the campus of College of the Ozarks.
MISSOURI BAPTIST
The Crusaders got on the board early, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Ryan Morrow (Taylor, Mich.) led off with a single and came all the way around to score on a Mike Gansser (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) single that as mishandled by the Spartans and allow Morrow to score from first. Gansser came into score two batters later on a Zach Flavin (Novi, Mich.) single to put MU on top 2-0.
That lead was short lived however, as MBU scored three runs off of Sonnenberg in the bottom of the inning to go in front 3-2 after one complete.
The Crusaders took the lead back for good in the top of the second, scoring two more runs to back in front 4-3. Shawn Little (Canton, Mich.) reached after being hit by a pitch with one out. Little moved to second on a ground ball by Matt Kay (Canton, Mich.) that the Spartans tried to cut Little down on at second, but the throw was late, allowing both runners to be safe. After both runners moved up on stolen bases, Tarik Khasawneh (Canton, Mich.) singled in Little to tie the game at three. Morrow then reached on a bunt single to score Kay and put MU on top 4-3.
Madonna added to the lead in the fifth as Morrow reached on an error and moved all the way to third when the throw on his steal attempt went high and into center field. Gansser then delivered a sac fly to right to score Morrow and make it 5-3. Aaron Hacias (Sterling Heights, Mich.) then doubled and came home when Zerbo clubbed his sixth homer of the season to make it 7-3 in favor of MU.
The Crusaders added three more runs in the sixth when Morrow tripled home Kay and runner Billy Hardin (Livonia, Mich.) to make it 9-3. Run 10 came home when a Hacias single scored Morrow.
Madonna pit the game on ice in the seventh, scoring three more times, taking advantage of two hits and a Missouri Baptist error to go in front 13-3.
Sonnenberg picked up the win, improving to 5-1 on the year. The senior righty struck out nine while allowing just one walk in throwing the complete game. Morrow went 4-for-5 with four RBIs while Hacias posted three hits.
COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS
Neither team got into the scoring column until MU put up a run in the third to go in front 1-0. Ted Toune (DeWitt, Mich.) led off with a single and after moving to third on a passed ball and a ground out, came home on Dominic Benavides (Northville, Mich.) ground ball to make it 1-0 MU.
The Crusaders added to their lead in the fourth, plating three runs to go up 4-0. Flavin led off with a double and courtesy runner Gansser scored on designated hitter Drew Fry's (Madison Heights, Mich.) single to make it 2-0. Toune then hit his second homer of the season to make it 4-0 in favor of Madonna.
Ozarks trimmed the Madonna lead to two at 4-2 by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but that would be all of the runs C of O could get off of Hansen as the freshman lefty shut down the Bobcat bats, allowing just one more base runner the rest of the game.
Madonna added four runs in the fifth to go along with single runs in the sixth and seventh for the final margin of victory at 10-2.
Hansen improved to 5-0 on the year, striking out two along the way. Flavin, Hardin and Toune each had two hits for MU.
The Crusaders continue their stay in Missouri on Saturday, facing off with these same two teams in another split double header starting at 11am against Missouri Baptist.
