THE BASICS

Scores: MU 4, RC 1; MU 12, RC 4

Records: Madonna University (18-11, 2-0 WHAC), Rochester College (3-18, 0-2 WHAC)

Location: Ilitch Ballpark - Livonia, Mich.

LIVONIA, Mich. - The Madonna University baseball team swept the Rochester College Warriors on Saturday afternoon at Ilitch Ballpark, posting 16 runs and 19 hits in the doubleheader. The Crusaders used strong pitching performances from both Jack Ferguson and Victor Mencotti to keep the Warrior offense at bay and improve to 18-11 and 2-0 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

GAME ONE: MU 4, RC 1

• A leadoff triple by Alex Garbacik in the bottom of the second inning would set the table for the first run of the game, as Noah Moore followed suit with an RBI sacrifice fly to right field for a 1-0 MU lead

• Moore would once again provide a clutch hit for the Blue and Gold in the fourth, smacking an RBI double to center field that scored Noah Renaud for a 2-0 lead.

• The Crusaders would add a pair of insurance runs in the fifth, as Gordon Ferguson reached first thanks to an error by the Warriors shortstop before advancing to third base off a Frankie Lucska double down the left field line. Nick Sykes stepped to the plate and snuck a double just inside the right field foul line that scored both Ferguson and Lucska.

• The Warriors would add a run of their own in the top of the eighth inning before John Beuckeleare replaced Jack Ferguson and earned the four-out save.

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS SAY?

• MU outhit the Warriors 7-5 while both teams committed one error in the contest

• J. Ferguson was dominant on the mound, lasting 7.2 innings while striking out seven and allowing just one earned run

• Beuckeleare earned the save, allow no runs and striking out two batters in his 1.1 innings of work

• Lucska and Garbacik led the Crusaders in the hit category with two each while Moore and Sykes each recorded two RBI

GAME TWO: MU 12, RC 4

• Unlike game one, the Warriors scored first, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first

• The Blue and Gold evened the score in the third inning as Zachary Beadle was bit by a pitch before a Kyle Aniol sacrifice bunt moved him to second and a Stephen Parker single up the middle brought him home

• MU exploded for a five run fourth inning, posting three hits, two walks, and a hit by pitch, leaving just one runner on base

• An insurance run was added in the sixth thanks to a two-out single by G. Ferguson that scored Sykes to make it 7-1

• Neither offense could be slowed down, as the Crusaders added two in the sixth before both teams knocked in three runs in the seventh for a final score of 12-4

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS SAY

• MU once again outhit the Warriors 12-8 and the Warriors committed two costly errors while the Crusaders only committed one

• Aniol and Beadle both had three-hit performances while Parker and Jerad Dokey collected two each

• Parker collected a team high three RBI while Beadle also knocked in two of his own

• Mencotti earned the win, lasting six innings and allowing just one earned run

• Ray Richard, Ross Rickel and Joe Wozniak saw action out of the bullpen, each throwing an inning

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders return to WHAC play on Tuesday, Mar. 26 as they travel to Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids to take on the Golden Eagles for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader. The games were previously scheduled for Mar. 22 but had been postponed due to weather conditions.

• Live stats will be available at mucrusaders.com

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