THE BASICS
Scores: MU 8, LTU 9 (10); MU 7, LTU 3 (7)
Records: Madonna University (26-15, 10-4 WHAC), Lawrence Technological University (29-11, 10-4 WHAC)
Location: Ilitch Ballpark - Livonia, Mich.
 

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LIVONIA, Mich.- The Madonna University baseball team, who received votes for a second straight week in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll on Tuesday, left 21 runners on base and still nearly pulled off a sweep of Lawrence Technological University at Ilitch Ballpark on Wednesday. A controversial call gave the Blue Devils a 9-8 win in 10 innings in game one before darkness shortened game two to seven innings and a 7-3 Crusaders victory.

GAME 1: Madonna 8, Lawrence Tech 9 (10 Innings)
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• The Blue Devils scored an unearned run in the first inning, but the Crusaders responded with five in their half for the early advantage.
• All five of Madonna's first inning tallies were unearned as well. Noah Renaud gave MU the lead on an LTU error, Gordon Ferguson singled in Joey Pejuan and Nick Sykes singled homw two more for the 5-1 lead.
• A bases loaded walk and a single cut into the lead in the third, but Sykes quickly added to the lead with a two-run home run to right field to make it 7-4.
• Three hits in the fourth and then two MU errors in the seventh gave LTU a pair of unearned runs to tie the game at 7.
• A pair of walks and a 2-run double in the 10th put the visitors up, but Madonna made it intersting in the bottom half.
• Matt Staelgraeve and Jordan Thomas walked, a wild pitch moved them up 90 feet and a Frankie Lucska single made it a one-run game. Noah Moore then grounded to third, but appeared to tie the game as the second basemen airmailed the throw to first base, but an interference call ruled both runners out and ended the game.

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS SAY?

• The Crusaders walked nine Blue Devils, committed three errors and were outhit 21-11
• Madonna did draw eight walks themselves and the offense was paced by two-hit games by Lucska, Renaud, Ferguson and Sykes
• Sykes drove in four runs and scored once while Renauda score two times
• Daniel Gore pitched well in relief as he allowed two unearned runs on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched
• John Beuckeleare (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season as he allowed two runs on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts

GAME 2: Madonna 7, Lawrence Tech 3 (7 innings)
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Ferguson plated a run on a walk in the first and singled in another in the second while Lucska recorded an RBI on a groundout and Renaud singled in a run for a 4-0 lead after two.
• The Blue Devils cut the lead in half in the third on a two-run double before Stephen Parker made it 5-2 with a groundout to the pitcher to score Jerad Dokey
• A Jalen Thomas two-out double in the fourth plated Adrian Reed to push the lead back to four
• After a bases loaded walk brought in a run in the sixth for LTU, Ferguson plated Lucska to keep the lead at four, 7-3
• With darkness closing in, Ross Rickel tossed a 1-2-3 seventh to complete the 7-3 win

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS SAY?

• Madonna, led by a pair of two-hit games from Renaud (2-for-2) and Zachary Beadle, outhit the Blue Devils 8-5
• Ferguson was responsible for three RBI while Parker and Dokey each scored twice
• Victor Mencotti (7-1) earned the win as he allowed three runs on five hits over 5.2 innings while Ricket earned his first save with 1.1 perfect innings

UP NEXT

• The Blue and Gold hit the road for an Easter weekend doubleheader at Cleary University in Howell on Saturday, April 20 1 p.m.
• Live coverage links, if available, will be posted at www.mucrusaders.com.

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