Site: Adrian, Mich. (SHU Baseball Field)
Score: Madonna 9, Siena Heights 3
Score: Madonna 4, Siena Heights 1
Records: MU (20-12, 5-3 WHAC), SHU (14-11, 4-4 WHAC)
Next MU event: Tuesday, March 27 – vs. Rochester (Ilitch Ballpark), 3 p.m.

LIVONIA, Mich. - - The Crusader pitching staff struck out 19 batters on the day while the offense tallied 17 hits and 13 runs as the No. 23 Madonna University baseball team won the series against Siena Heights with a sweep on Sunday (March 25) at the SHU Baseball Field. MU won game one 9-3 before completing the sweep with a 4-1 victory in the nightcap.

Game One
The Crusaders opened the day with a 9-3 win behind eight strong innings on the mound from junior Matthew Cook (Dresden, Ontario / Lambton Kent Secondary) and three hits from junior second baseman Tyler Cotter (Livonia, Mich. / Churchill).

MU got on the board in the second as Cook reached on an error and junior courtesy runner Alex Charles (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Brother Rice Catholic) stole second before moving to third on a fly ball by junior Josh Deeg (Lake Orion, Mich. / Lake Orion). Junior shortstop Logan Curtis then singled home Charles for a 1-0 lead.

MU added another solo run in the fourth when Curtis singled home Deeg who reached on a two-out triple for a 2-0 lead. Another solo run in the fifth made it 3-0 when Cotter came home to score on a ground out by junior left fielder Steve Pelletier (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Harrison).

The Crusaders plated four runs in the sixth to blow the game open and take a 7-0 lead. Senior Billy Hardin III (Livonia, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central) hit a two-run pinch hit single to make it 5-0. Cotter followed with a run scoring double that made it 6-0 before a Pelletier double scored Cotter for the seven-run lead.

SHU plated three runs off of Cook in the top of the eighth to trim the MU lead to 7-3 but MU answered back in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-3. Cotter reached on an error and after stealing second, he came home on a single by Pelletier for an 8-3 lead. Pelletier came around to score two batters later on a wild pitch to cap the MU scoring.

Cook threw the first eight innings before giving way to senior Andy Omilian who worked around a single in the ninth to close out the 9-3 victory. Cook (5-2) struck out seven while walking just one and scattering six hits for his fifth win of the season. Omilian struck out two in his inning of work.

Cook, Curtis and Pelletier each collected a pair of hits with Pelletier driving in three runs.

Brett Kuebler took the loss for SHU, giving up seven runs on 10 hits. Marcus Stewart and Josh White each had two hits for the Saints.

Game Two
MU won the series with a 4-1 win in the day's second game behind another solid performance on the mound by Deeg.The junior righty went 5.2 innings to earn his third win of the season, striking out eight before taking a line drive to the leg and having to leave the game in the sixth.

The Crusaders scored in the top of the first when senior Dan Harder (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton) came home when a ball off of Cook's bat was misplayed to give MU a 1-0 lead.

MU added two more runs in the top of the fourth, scoring both runs with two outs. Curtis reached on a one-out single and stole second. Sophomore catcher Donny Holland (White Lake, Mich. / Lakeland) was hit by a pitch before Charles drew a walk to load the bases for Pelletier. Pelletier delivered a single that plated a pair of runs for the 3-0 lead.

SHU got to Deeg for its only run in the bottom of the inning when Chaz Poindexter singled in White to make it 3-1.

The Crusaders added an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Charles singled home senior Drew Adamiec (Walled Lake, Mich. / Central) with two outs for a 4-1 lead.

Deeg ran into a bit of trouble in the sixth, letting a pair of runners reach before being hit with the line drive Deeg made the play, throwing out the runner at first but was forced to leave the game. Junior Randall Stempek (Hartland, Mich. / Hartland) then game in and got Stewart to go down looking to end the inning.

Stempek came back out in the bottom of the seventh and got a pair of line outs to right before striking Dan Abbott out to end the game and earn his fifth save of the season.

MU was out-hit 7-4 in the game with Charles, Cotter, Curtis and Pelletier each recording a base hit.

Todd Vandercook and White each had two hits for SHU. Matt King took the loss for the Saints, giving up three runs in 5.2 innings of work.

The Crusaders open up a nine-game homestand on Tuesday (March 27) by hosting Rochester in a 3 p.m. start at Ilitch Ballpark.