Site: Livonia, Mich. (Ilitch Ballpark)
Game One Score: Indiana Tech 16, Madonna University 4 (6 innings)
Game Two Score: Indiana Tech 8, Madonna University 6
Records: MU 20-5; 0-2 WHAC | IIT 14-15; 2-0 WHAC)
Next MU event: Monday April 5 at Indiana Tech (Warrior Field), 1pm EDT

GAME ONE BOX SCORE| GAME TWO BOX SCORE

LIVONIA, Mich. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - In a double header headlined by the long ball, the Madonna University baseball team came up on the short end of the home run battle and was swept by visiting Indiana Tech by finals of 16-4 and 8-6 on Saturday (April 3) at Ilitch Ballpark.

The losses dropped MU to 20-5 overall and the Crusaders open the WHAC slate at 0-2 while Tech improved to 14-15 overall, 2-0 in loop action.

In the day's opener, Tech jumped all over the Crusader pitching staff in the first two innings, putting up eight runs, thanks in large part to a pair of home runs and MU errors to go on top 8-0.

MU got a run back in the bottom of the second on a single from Mike Gansser (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Rochester Adams) scored Shawn Little (Canton, Mich./Canton) to get the Crusaders on the board.

IIT answered back with three runs in the top of the third to make it 11-1. MU got a pair of ruins in the third on a Zach Flavin (Novi, Mich./Novi) two-run homer to left that made it an 11-3 game.

Tech plated another run in the fourth to push its lead back to nine at 12-3 but MU got a single run in the fifth on a homer from Ted Toune (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Park Center/Lansing CC) but Tech got four runs in the top of the sixth for 16-4 run rule win.

Starting pitcher Robert Fraser (Westland, Mich./John Glenn) gave up four runs in his one inning of work and fell to 3-1 on the year. Jeff Bultinck (Sterling Heights, Mich./Notre Dame Prep/Concordia), Gansser and Toune each posted two hits.

The night cap was similar to the opener as Tech plated three runs in the top of the first inning off of Tom Hansen (Rochester Hills, Mich./Adams) on a pair of home runs to go on top 3-0.

The Crusaders answered back with a three spot of their own in the bottom of the inning as Matt Kay (Canton, Mich./Canton/Henry Ford CC) hit a sac fly to score Toune and a double from Dan Harder (Brighton, Mich./Brighton/Heidelberg) doubled home Bultinck and Flavin to make it three-all after an inning.

MU took the lead in the second when Billy Hardin III (Livonia, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central/Ashland) doubled home Donny Holland (White Lake, Mich./Lakeland) and Toune to make it 5-3.

IIT evened the game at 5-5 in the third, taking advantage of a Madonna error to even the game.

Tech took the lead back in the sixth, using a squeeze bunt to plate a run and make it 6-5. The Warriors added two more runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run homer from Justin Medeiros to hold an 8-5 lead going into the last of the seventh.

Brad Lineberry (Canton, Mich./Plymouth) led off the inning with a pinch-hit home run that made it 8-6. A walk to Toune followed by a single by Hardin III and a single by Bultinck loaded the bases for Flavin with one out. 

The Crusader first baseman battled Tech's Tyler Snoke but Snoke got Flavin to go down looking on strikes and he then induced Kay to pop out to left to end the game and complete the sweep for Tech.

Hansen took the loss, throwing seven innings and striking out six to fall to 1-1 on the year. Bultinck led the way at the plate with three hits while Hardin III and Toune each posted two.

The Crusaders look to snap their skid on Monday (April 5) when they travel to Fort Wayne for a 1pm double header at Tech.