Site: Auburndale, Fla. (Lake Myrtle Park)
Score: Evangel 1, No. 24 Madonna 0
Score: No. 24 Madonna 12, Trinity International 3
Records: MU (4-2), EU (1-0), TIU (0-2)
Next MU event: Saturday, March 2 – vs. Trinity International (Auburndale, Fla.) – 12:45 p.m.

LAKE MYRTLE, Fla.  – The No. 24-ranked Madonna University baseball team opened its nine-day stay in Florida Friday (March 1) with a pitcher's duel in game one before an offensive explosion in game two as the Crusaders fell 1-0 to Evangel before rolling in a 12-3 victory over Trinity International at Lake Myrtle Park.

The split puts MU at 4-2 on the young season with the Crusaders taking on TIU again on Saturday (March 2) followed by a game against Hannibal-LaGrange in another split double header at Lake Myrtle Park.

Evangel
Madonna senior right hander Josh Deeg (Lake Orion, Mich. / Lake Orion) and EU's Blake McKnight squared off and combined the duo allowed just two hits in the game but it was Evangel making the most of its one base knock in the 1-0 win.

MU recorded its lone hit of the game in the top of the first inning when junior shortstop Victor Barron (Fowlerville, Mich. / Fowlerville) reached on a two-out double and was followed by a walk to senior first baseman Spencer Sarel (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton). McKnight struck out the final batter of the inning and did not allow another Madonna base runner the remaining six innings, striking out six along the way.

Deeg (1-1) was nearly as sharp, striking out five Evangel hitters and carrying a no hitter into the sixth inning. Evangel's Nathan Jones connected on a one-out home run to left center off of Deeg for the game's only run as Evangel held on for the 1-0 win.

Barron and Jones recorded the only two hits of the game as the two sides combined to strike out 11 times. McKnight picked up his fifth win of the season against one loss while Deeg was tagged with his first loss of the season.

Trinity International
The Madonna offense that was missing in the day's opener came back in game two as MU scored nine unanswered runs in a 12-3 victory over Trinity International.

Freshman catcher Brett Ramirez (Canton, Mich. / Salem) made his first career start behind the plate and went 2-for-3 with a grand slam while senior left fielder Steve Pelletier (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Harrison) posted a pair of base hits. Fellow senior and designated hitter Jeff Beckles (Southfield, Mich. / Lathrup) drove in a pair of runs for the Crusaders as MU posted 10 hits in the win.

The Crusaders scored three times in the bottom half of the first as freshman second baseman Shane Dokey (Howell, Mich. / Brighton) led off with and infield single before moving to second on a wild pitch. Dokey came home two batters later on a single by senior first baseman Spencer Sarel (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton) that moved junior shortstop Victor Barron (Fowlerville, Mich. / Fowlerville) – who was hit by a pitch to reach base - to third with one out. Beckles plated Barron on a sacrifice fly to left for a 2-0 lead. Pelletier was then hit by a pitch and the Crusaders pulled off a double steal with Pelletier stealing second and Sarel stealing the plate for a 3-0 lead.

Madonna senior right hander Robert Fraser (Westland, Mich. / John Glenn) was touched up for a run in the second, giving up a pair of hits as TIU pulled within two, 3-1. The Trojans got to Fraser for two more runs via three straight singles in the top of the third to get even at 3-3.

The Crusaders answered back in a big way, scoring five times in the bottom of the inning to take an 8-3 lead. Barron scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of senior third baseman Justin Cook (Dresden, Ontario / Lambton Kent Secondary) before Ramirez connected on the offering from Jon Grotelueschen for a grand slam to left and an 8-3 lead.

Senior righty Josh Vandemark (Hicksville, Ohio / Hicksville) replaced Fraser in the top of the fourth and worked three scoreless innings, striking out six while allowing just one hit and not walking a batter.

MU tacked on four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth with sophomore outfielder Mike Tibbits (Plymouth, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central), Beckles and Pelletier all hitting singles to drive in runs for the 12-3 lead.

Redshirt junior righty Dan Stoney (Canton, Mich. / Canton) came in for the seventh and struck out the side to close out the Madonna win.

Vandemark (1-1) evened his season record with the victory while Grotelueschen (0-1) suffered his first loss of the season. Alex Winfield has a pair of hits for TIU in the setback.