Site: Livonia, Mich. (Ilitch Ballpark)
Scores: Northwestern Ohio 10, Madonna 4; Madonna 6, Northwestern Ohio 2
Records: MU (16-15; 3-7 WHAC), DU (20-10; 8-2 WHAC)
Next MU event: Wednesday, April 9 at Concordia (Ann Arbor, Mich.) – 2 p.m.
LIVONIA, Mich. – Behind a complete game effort from senior righty Travis Schuba(Rapid City, Mich. / Kalkaska) and three hits from senior third baseman Victor Barron(Fowlerville, Mich. / Fowlerville), the Madonna University baseball team salvaged a win in its series with Northwestern Ohio, winning game two, 6-2, on Sunday (April 6) at Ilitch Ballpark. MU dropped game one 10-6 in a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference doubleheader to start the day.
Schuba – who was making the first start of his career – scattered five hits while striking out four for his fourth win of the season. In addition to his three hits, Barron drove in a pair of runs as well. Sophomore first baseman John Lauro (Rochester Hills, Mich. / University of Detroit Jesuit) drove in two runs in the nightcap for the Crusaders.
The Crusaders scored all the runs they needed in the bottom of the first, scoring three times for a 3-0 lead after one complete. Sophomore center fielder Shane Dokey (Howell, Mich. / Brighton) led off with a double and after stealing third, came home when a ball of the bat of freshman designate hitter Taylor Grzelakowski (Fraser, Mich. / Fraser) was misplayed, allowing both runners to be safe and giving MU a 1-0 lead. The lead grew to 2-0 on Barron's RBI single to center with run three coming home when Barron scored on a miscue by the Racers let freshman shortstop Ryan Lambrecht (Lake Orion, Mich. / Lake Orion) reach.
MU tacked on a fourth run in the bottom of the third when Grzelakowski came home on a Barron double for a 4-0 lead.
UNOH got on the board with single runs in the fourth and fifth to cut the MU lead in half, 4-2, but the Royal Blue and Gold came back with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-RBI single from Lauro that scored Barron and sophomore pinch runner Chase Dobbie (Mississauga, Ontario / Meadowvale Secondary) for the 6-2 lead.
Schuba worked around a single in both the sixth and seventh before getting the final two batters of the game to go down in order for the 6-2 victory.
Ryan Burns (2-1) took the loss for UNOH, giving up all six MU runs with four being earned. Burns struck out two while walking a like number in the loss. Mike Luzzi had two hits for UNOH in game two.
Madonna took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first of game one on a RBI single from Barron that scored Dokey with the first run of the day.
UNOH took the lead with four runs in the top of the third with two runs being unearned after a miscue by MU to take a 4-1 lead.
MU pulled within one, 4-3, in the fourth as Barron and Lauro led the inning off with back-to-back singles. Barron came home when freshman right fielder Zack Schmidtke's (Dearborn Heights, Mich. / Divine Child Catholic) sacrifice bunt was thrown away to make it 4-2. Lauro then came home on a RBI single from Dobbie for a 4-3 game.
The Crusaders tied the game in the fifth when Grzelakowski reached on an error and the ensuing play allowed Dokey to score from third for a 4-4 game.
MU took the lead back in the seventh as Lambrecht reached on a one-out double and moved to third on a Grzelakowski single. Both runners then stole with Lambrecht taking the plate for a 5-4 lead. Barron followed with a double to left center that scored Grzelakowski, giving MU a 6-4 lead.
UNOH exploded for five runs in the top of the eighth to take the lead back for good. The big blow was a two-out, two-RBI double by Jose Gonzalez as UNOH took the 10-6 lead.
MU managed just one runner over the final two innings, falling by the 10-6 final.
Junior righty Justin Hicks (Fowlerville, Mich. / Fowlerville) took the loss for Madonna, falling to 1-2 on the year. Hicks allowed five runs on six hits in 2.2 innings of work. Tyler Eaton picked up the win for UNOH, scattering two runs in his two innings of work.
Alex Leach led UNOH at the plate with three hits and Brandon Collins drove in three in the win.
Barron and Lambrecht each had three hits in the opener for MU with Barron driving in a pair of runs in the setback.
MU heads on the road for three straight games, starting with a WHAC doubleheader at Concordia on Wednesday (April 9) at 2 p.m.
