Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 THE BASICS
Score: Game 1: Madonna University 2, #22 Middle Georgia State University 0             Game 2: Madonna University 3, #22 Middle Georgia State University 15
Records: Madonna (1-2), Middle Georgia State University (8-3)
Location: Senter Field - Bryan, Tenn. 

BRYAN, Tenn.- The Crusaders stayed in Tennessee for a doubleheader against Middle Georgia State University on Sunday. In game one the Crusaders won the game as pitchers Nate Blain, Ryan Dusang, and John Beuckelaere pitched a combined no-hitter. This was the first no-hitter for the Crusaders since Taylor Turner threw back on April 16, 2016 against Lourdes University. Also, this is the first combined no-hitter thrown by the Crusaders since Jeremy Gooding and Dan Stoney threw one against Avila University on March 9, 2013. 

GAME 1
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Blain was the starting pitcher for the Crusaders in the game and was able to make quick work of the Knights in the top of both the first and second inning.
• The Crusaders would get their first run on the board in the bottom of the second inning that started with an Alex Garbacik walk. He would advance to second on a groundout. Zacary Beadle would come up to the plate and put a flyball out to left field that would drop for an error and thus score Garbacik. 
• Dusang would come into pitch for the Crusaders and would go six up and six down in the top of the third and the fourth. Garbacik came up to bat again in the fourth to leadoff the inning. He saw a 1-2 pitch that he would end up hitting out of the park for a home run. 
• Beuckelaere would come into pitch in the sixth inning to shut down the Knights for the final two innings of the game with striking out three. 

TURNING POINT

• A fielding error on a Beadle hit to right field that scored Garbacik in the bottom of the second inning. 

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 0: Pitchers Blain, Dusang, and Beuckelaere combined to not allow a single Knight hit throughout the game. 
• 8: The pitching staff added eight strikeouts throughout the first game to go with 0 hits allowed.  

TOP PERFORMERS

• Garbacik - Went 2-2 with a walk on the day. Hit a home run in the fourth inning that extended the lead to 2-0. Also scored both runs in the game. 
• Blain - Earned the win while pitching two innings, allowed one walk and struck out two batters.
• Dusang - Pitched three innings out of the bullpen allowing two walks and struck out three. 
• Beuckelaere - Pitched the final two innings and allowed one walk while also striking out three. 

GAME 2
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After Madonna went quietly in the top of the first Daniel Gore would get the starting nod for the second game of the doubleheader for the Crusaders. The Knights would take advantage of a wild pitch on a strike three call to plate four runs in the bottom of the inning. 
• The Knights would strike once again with a three run bottom of the third inning on key extra base hits. The Crusaders would respond with their own three run inning after Joey Pejuan started the inning with a double. Alex Garbacik would bring him in on a single. And then Jace Matkin would bring both him and Garbacik in with a swing of the bat for his first home run of the season. 
• The Knights would respond yet again with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the differential backup to seven. 
• The game would stay quiet until the bottom of the sixth which saw the Knights plate five more runs on the day to make the score 15-3.

TURNING POINT

• 4 run first inning for the Knights after a dropped third strike with three of the runs being earned. 

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 10: Crusaders pitches were able to hit the double-digit strikeout mark in the second game with 10. 
• 2: The Crusaders would notch two extra base hits in the afternoon, with one of them being Matkin's home run.  

TOP PERFORMERS

• Matkin - Went 1-2, with a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Was his first career home run in a Madonna jersey. 
• Garbacik - Went 1-3 with one run batted in on the day. 

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders will be on the road once again next weekend as they will take on Saint Francis of Illinois on February 27 and 28. 
• Live coverage links are available at www.mucrusaders.com. 

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