GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Madonna baseball completed its first WHAC weekend series of 2016 by sweeping Cornerstone on Saturday (March 26) behind 5-2 and 3-2 victories at DeWitt Field in Grand Rapids, Mich. With the wins, the Crusaders were able to take three-of-four from the Golden Eagles (7-16, 1-3 WHAC) to move to 13-12 overall and 3-2 in the WHAC.

GAME ONE – MADONNA 5, CORNERSTONE 2
A three-run home run by Taylor Grzelakowski (Fraser, Mich./Fraser High School) was the difference in the opener as the Crusaders used the junior's blast to win game one, 5-2. Grzelakowski worked the count full before taking an inside pitch over the left field wall that allowed John Lauro (Rochester Hills, Mich./UD-Jesuit High School) and Jalen Thomas (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup High School) to jog home.

Grzelakowski's home run – his first of the season – put the Crusaders back in front, 3-1, in the fourth inning after the Golden Eagles scored in the bottom of the first.

The Crusaders lead would extend to 4-1 in the fifth inning as Zack Byron (Dexter, Mich./Macomb CC) was also able to take advantage of a full count pitch with a double to left center that brought in Ben Matigian (Livonia, Mich./Churchill High School). Matigian started the inning off with a walk to set the table for Byron's one-out RBI double.

The lead was cut in half an inning later as the Golden Eagles used a single through the left side to bring the score to 4-2 in the sixth. Crusader starter Alex DeYonker (Livonia, Mich./Franklin High School) exited one batter earlier and was charged with the run after tossing 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball in a winning effort. Cliff Landess (Carelton, Mich./Airport High School) came on in relief of DeYonker for the hold and was stingy in 2 1/3 innings of work.

Up two entering the final inning, the Crusaders were able to tack on an insurance run as Shane Dokey (Howell, Mich./Brighton High School) sent an RBI double down the left field line to give MU a 5-2 lead before the Golden Eagles got their final chance at the plate.

Closer Bobby St. Pierre (Windsor, Ontario/Crowder CC) stepped to the mound in the ninth and shut the door to record his sixth save in as many opportunities this season. St. Pierre faced the minimum, striking out the first two batters before getting the final out via line out to secure the 5-2 win for the Crusaders.

DeYonker moved to 2-1 on the season after Landess and St. Pierre finished the final 3 1/3 innings by holding the Golden Eagles scoreless. Aside from Grzelakowski's three-run home run, Byron and Lauro led the Crusaders with two hits each while Matigian drew three walks and scored a run.

GAME TWO – MADONNA 3, CORNERSTONE 2
MU picked up the series win after earning a Saturday sweep with a 3-2 victory in the nightcap. With the win, the Crusaders were able to take three-of-four from the Golden Eagles, including three straight to finish the series, to move to 13-12 overall and 3-2 in the WHAC.

Both teams got their bats rolling in the fourth inning with the Crusaders plating a pair of runs to take a narrow 2-0 lead. With two-on and two-out, senior third baseman Levi Larmour (Oakville, Ontario/Mesa CC) got the Crusaders on the board with a two-out RBI single that ended up scoring two, Ryan Lambrecht (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion High School) and Taylor Grzelakowski, to give the Crusaders the two-run edge. Lambrecht singled to start the inning while Grzelakowski walked to put two runners on.

The Golden Eagles got one back in the home half of the fourth, their first run off Crusader starter Taylor Turner (Northville, Mich./Northville High School), to make it 2-1 MU after four.

Then in the fifth, senior infielder Shane Dokey hit MU's second home run of the day, this time a solo shot to give the Crusaders a 3-1 advantage in the waning innings. The Golden Eagles would cut the lead in half one more time but could not get the game-tying run as the combination of Patrick Wierimaa (Redford, Mich./Union High School) and Bobby St. Pierre grounded the Golden Eagles the rest of the way.

Wierimaa allowed one hit through 1 1/3 innings while St. Pierre came on in the seventh to record his seventh save of the season. The junior closer is now 7-for-7 in save opportunities this season and was 3-for-3 save situations in the Cornerstone series alone. The save allowed the Crusaders to edge out the Golden Eagles by one run and gave Turner his first win of the 2016 campaign.

Lambrecht was the lone Crusader to record more than one hit in the nightcap, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

UP NEXT
The Crusaders host Siena Heights on Wednesday (March 30) for a WHAC doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Live audio for the WHAC home opener will be available on madonnacrusaders.com/live with Brendan Johnson and Jeremy Otto on the call.