LEBANON, Tenn. – With runners on second and third and nobody out, Madonna baseball was posed to take the lead and the game before an unlucky double play turned the tide in a 4-3 loss for the Crusaders on Saturday (Feb. 13) in Lebanon, Tenn. The host Cumberland Phoenix (3-3) broke free off of a three-run home run in the third to edge the Crusaders, 4-3, to pick up their first home win of the season.

The Crusaders end the first weekend of 2016 with a 2-1 record after being clipped by the Phoenix on Saturday and will take a two-week break before visiting (RV) St. Catherine on Feb. 27-28.

Down 4-2 heading into the seventh and final inning, the Crusaders did not quit on their way to a fierce rally that fell just short of a heroic comeback. Zack Byron (Dexter, Mich./Macomb CC), Ben Matigian (Livonia, Mich./Churchill) and Jimmy White(Cincinnati, Ohio/Sinclair CC) connected on back-to-back-to-back singles with White driving home Byron to cut the Phoenix lead to 4-3 in the top of the seventh inning.

With runners on second and third and nobody out, the Crusaders were doubled up via a lineout to third, ending any chance at a comeback as the Phoenix held on for the narrow 4-3 victory.

Jack Zimmerman (Tecumseh, Ontario/St. Anne's Seconardy) was credited with the loss for the Crusaders after the Phoenix strung together a pair of hits, one being a three-run home run, to make up the difference in the one-run decision on Saturday afternoon.

The Crusaders recorded seven hits from seven different players while White, Taylor Grzelakowski (Fraser, Mich./Fraser High School) and Ryan Lambrecht (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion High School) each batted in a run for the Blue and Gold.

Cliff Landess (Carleton, Mich./Airport High School) tossed two innings of three strikeout ball to pace the pitching staff in Saturday's setback.