LIVONIA, Mich. – Add another chapter to the storied history of Madonna University's Ilitch Ballpark. On Saturday (April 16), sophomore and Northville native Taylor Turnerrecorded the first MU no-hitter in Ilitch Ballpark history, tossing seven innings of hitless ball to cap off the Crusaders two-game sweep over Lourdes University. Turner was nothing short of amazing, striking out five Gray Wolves while only walking one batter to help lift the Crusaders to 21-14 overall on the season and 11-4 in the WHAC.
The Gray Wolves fell to 8-25 overall and 2-12 in conference play after falling 7-2 and 3-0 to the Crusaders Saturday afternoon.
GAME ONE – MADONNA 7, LOURDES 2
The Crusaders got a thrilling Saturday of baseball off to a good start with a 7-2 victory in the opener. Alex DeYonker (Livonia, Mich./Franklin High School) was handed the ball in game one and went on to record a career-best eight strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings to move to 4-1 on the season. DeYonker only gave up one run and was aided by an early burst from the MU bats as the Crusaders cruised to a 4-0 lead after three innings of play.
A three-run first inning, highlighted by a RBI double to left field by freshman Jalen Thomas (Southfield, Mich./Lathrup High School), allowed DeYonker to get comfortable on the mound as the Crusaders rolled in the early going. Thomas' double extended the Crusaders lead to 2-0 after the first run of the game was scored on a throwing error to follow up a Shane Dokey (Howell, Mich./Brighton High School) bunt single.
Up 2-0, the Crusaders added another run in the opening inning when Ben Matigian(Livonia, Mich./Churchill High School) singled through the left side to bring Thomas around from second base.
The three-run first was all the Crusaders needed as a combination of DeYonker, Patrick Wierimaa (Redford, Mich./Union High School) and Cliff Landess (Carleton, Mich./Airport High School) held the Gray Wolves to two runs in the nine-inning contest. Lourdes did amass 12 hits in the opener, but pitching and timely defense rose to the occasion time after time as the Gray Wolves stranded eight runners.
Thomas paced the Crusader effort in game one, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a RBI. Matigian's first inning RBI single led the senior to a 1-for-2 line with one walk while fellow senior Zack Byron (Dexter, Mich./Macomb CC) recorded the only other Crusader RBI as part of his 2-for-4 performance.
GAME TWO – MADONNA 3, LOURDES 0
No-No! Taylor Turner (Northville, Mich./Northville High School) was in control the entire way in game two, tossing a seven inning no-hitter to forever etch his name in the history books at Madonna University. The no-hitter was the first of Turner's career as the sophomore breezed through the Gray Wolves hitters throughout the seven inning contest. Turner only allowed one walk while the MU defense behind him committed a pair of errors. The dominant showing lifts Turner to 2-0 on the season with a 2.70 ERA through an even 20 innings pitched.
At the plate, the Crusaders tallied a run in the second inning off the bat of Ben Matigian as the senior notched his second RBI single of the afternoon. Matigian's drive to right center brought John Lauro (Rochester Hills, Mich./UD-Jesuit High School) around to score and would stand as the game-winning hit with Taylor carving up the Gray Wolves on the other end.
The Crusaders tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the fifth off of a Dokey RBI and another RBI double by Jalen Thomas.
Ryan Lambrecht (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion High School), Matigian and Thomas all went 2-for-3 in game two to lead a nine-hit effort for the Crusaders.
Not to be overlooked, Mitch Hudvagner (Cottam, Ontario/Essex District High School) lived a catcher's dream as the sophomore was behind the dish for the entirity of the historic no-hitter.
Turner's no-hitter was the first for Madonna baseball since Alex DeYonker – Saturday's game one starter – no-hit Point Park (Pa.) on March 12, 2015 at Davenport's Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.
