Site: Winter Haven, Fla. (Chain of Lakes Park)
Score: Madonna University 6, Calumet College of St. Joseph (5 Innings)
Records: MU 14-3; CCSJ 1-12
Next MU event: Friday, March 12 vs. Bethel College (Jack Russell Stadium), 10:00 am

BOX SCORE

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - The No. 21-ranked Madonna University baseball team dodged the rain long enough to get five innings in against Calumet College of St. Joseph for a 6-0 win. MU's second game of the day against Mount Marty was called due to the heavy thunder storms plaguing most of central Florida.

After neither side put a run up in the first two innings, the Crusaders exploded for five runs in the top of the third. Freshman Alex Charles (Farmington Hills, Mich.) led off with a single to left and moved to second when the sacrifice bunt junior Tarik Khasawneh (Canton, Mich.) laid down was misplayed in the Crimson Wave infield to put runners at first and second. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a double to right center by freshman Spencer Sarel (Brighton, Mich.) that made it 2-0. Kay then stepped to the plate and took the first pitch he saw over the wall in left center to make it 4-0. Junior Dan Harder (Brighton, Mich.) reached two hitters later on single and moved to third when a ball junior Jeff Bultinck (Sterling Heights, Mich.) was also misplayed. Harder then scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-0 after the top of the third.

After a 15 minute rain delay and after senior starter Kyle Bolton (Burlington, Ont.) sent the Crimson Wave down in order in the fourth, the Crusaders added another run in the fifth when freshman Steve Pelletier (Farmington Hills, Mich.) drew a bases loaded walk that scored Kay to make it 5-0.

Bolton allowed a one-out single but Nate Sabol flew into a 9-3 double play when Kay doubled off Ramon Griffith at first for the final out.

The rain returned in the top of the sixth and the umpires decided that the field was no longer playable and the game ended with MU on top by a 6-0 final.

Kay and Sarel each had two hits and a like number of RBIs while Bolton (Burlington, Ont.) threw all five innings, scattering two hits and striking out seven while not allowing a walk.

The Crusaders are slated to return to the field on Friday (March 12) for a split double header at Jack Russell Stadium starting with a 10am game against Bethel College. MU closes the day with a game against Purdue North Central.