Site: Livonia, Mich. (Ilitch Ballpark)
Results: Madonna 9, Davenport 4 | Madonna 2, Davenport 1
Records: MU 24-3 (3-1 WHAC) | DU 21-11 (1-3 WHAC)
Next MU event: Saturday April 4 vs. Indiana Tech - 1pm Double header
BOX SCORE - Game One | Game Two
LIVONIA, Mich. - - Behind nine runs in game one and a solid outing on the mound in game two from
Keegan Beaton (Wales, Mich.), the Madonna baseball team swept its Tuesday (March 31) double header from Davenport by finals of 9-4 and 2-1.
Matt Kay (Canton, Mich.) and Zach Flavin (Novi, Mich.) each drove in two runs in the bottom of the second inning as eight consecutive Crusaders crossed home plate to give Madonna an 8-1 lead heading into the third inning. Madonna would add one run for insurance in the fourth to round out their scoring. Davenport scored a run in the second and third innings and picked up two in the seventh, making the final for game one 9-4.
Pitching dominated the second game of the double header as Madonna starter Beaton held Davenport scoreless through six innings of work. Beaton allowed just five hits and struck out three en route to picking up his first win of the year. Davenport starter Wesley Trimpe also turned in a strong performance from the mound, giving up just two runs on two hits in suffering the loss.
Game One
After a scoreless first inning for both teams Davenport took an early 1-0 lead after a three hit second inning. The Crusaders started the second inning slowly as the first two batters failed to reach base.
Shawn Little's (Canton, Mich.) two out single to left got the ball rolling for Madonna as he was the first of nine consecutive Crusaders to reach base. Of those nine; two were hit by pitches and three reached on balls before Kay and Flavin hit back to back two run singles to bust the game wide open. The next batter
Ted Toune (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) hit a scorcher down the left field line to scoring Flavin for the eighth and final run of the inning.
Davenport managed one more run in the third inning. Madonna scored again in the fourth when Aaron Hacias (Sterling Heights, Mich.) doubled to lead off the inning and Kay hit a sacrifice fly to center field. The Panthers picked up two more runs in the seventh but were unable to overcome the Madonna onslaught in the second inning.
Madonna Pitcher Andy Omilian (Farmington, Mich.) picked up the win in relief of starter Tom Hansen (Rochester Hills, Mich.). Omilian allowed just four hits and two runs in four and two thirds innings. The win puts Omilian at 2-0 on the season.
Game Two
Madonna starting pitcher Beaton made a strong return to the mound after missing more than three weeks with elbow soreness. Beaton did not allow a run in six innings of work and struck out four in his comeback game.
The Crusader bats cooled in the second game as Madonna was unable to reach home plate through five innings. Ryan Morrow (Taylor, Mich.) got things started in the sixth inning with a lead off single to left before Mike Gansser (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Morrow to second. Davenport intentionally walked Hacias, bringing Kevin Zerbo (Farmington, Mich. ) to the plate. Zerbo hit a slow roller down the first base line and Morrow slid safely home giving Madonna the 1-0 lead. Hacias would then be driven home by the next batter, Kay, who reached on a fielder's choice, giving Madonna a 2-0 lead.
Davenport managed to score one run in the top of the seventh off MU reliever
Jeff Sonnenberg (Lansing Mich.), but the senior righty recorded the final out on strikes to pick up his team leading second save of the season.
The Crusaders - who moved up one spot in this week's NAIA Coaches Poll to 10th - return home on Saturday to take on Indiana Tech. First pitch against the Warriors is slated for 1pm at Ilitch Ballpark.
POST GAME NOTES
The wins moved Madonna into second place in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference standings at 3-1 … Keegan Beaton returned to the field for the first time since a March 4th outing against Notre Dame College on the Crusaders' swing through Florida … Madonna moved up one spot in the latest NAIA Coaches Poll, moving to No. 10, the highest ranking in program history … Tom Hansen made his second start against the Panthers in four days and struck out two in his two and a third innings of work …
