FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The Madonna University baseball concluded their WHAC four-game series with Indiana Tech on Monday, falling in game one 21-6, before completing a wild comeback in game two and earning a 13-12 victory. Madonna won the series and moved to 16-9 overall and 10-1 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

Game 1:

Madonna opened game one strong, as Anthony Sharkas hit a single to right field and advanced to second following a failed pickoff attempt. Following a single by Jace Matkin, the Crusaders had runners on the corners and got on the scoreboard thanks to a balk, allowing Sharkas to cross home plate and give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Later in the top of the first inning, Brady Krzciok hit a two-run home run to extend the lead to 3-0. 

Unfortunately the Warriors responded by scoring in every single inning of the contest, including a seven run bottom of the fifth inning to run away with the 21-6 game one victory. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 

• Nick Krol hit his first home run of the season in the top of the fourth inning.
• Krol added a second home run of the game in the top of the sixth, this time a two-run blast that scored Steffen Dyl.
• Aidan Shipmen and Kyle Revere each had a stolen base.

Game 2:

The second game of the afternoon proved to be an instant classic for Madonna. Indiana Tech jumped on the board first with a six-run first inning. The Warriors added another run in the bottom of the second, before the Crusaders came back with a run in the top of the third thanks to a Matkin RBI single that scored Alex Garbacik. 

The hosts responded by going ahead 10-1 after five innings, but home runs by Revere and Zachary Beadle in the top of the sixth sparked some life into Madonna. 

Madonna came into the top of the eighth inning trailing 11-3, but the Crusaders began to rally. Krol got things started with an RBI single, followed by a three-run bases-clearing double by Garbacik. Anthony Sharkas then doubled home Garbacik to make the score 11-8. 

The Donna Boys however were not finished in the eighth inning.  Matkin hit a home run to right field that scored Sharkas and brought Madonna to within one run. Following a Bobby Cavin single, Aidan Shipmen came in to run for Cavin and represented the tying run. After a double by Krzciok, Beadle gave the Crusaders the lead for good with a two-run single. Just for good measure, Revere singled home Beadle and completely turned the game around for the Crusaders, as they took a 13-11 lead. 

Indiana Tech tried to recover from its major collapse, and even made it a one-run game in the ninth, but Madonna was able to hang on and earn the doubleheader split and series victory. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 

• Matkin, Garbacik, and Beadle had three RBIs each. 
• Besides going 4-of-5 at the plate, Beadle also earned the win on the mound. The senior pitched the final 2.2 innings in relief and struck out five Warrior hitters. 
• The game lasted almost four hours and was Madonna's largest comeback this season. 

UP NEXT:

Madonna faces Michigan-Dearborn at 2:00 PM Wednesday, April 5th from Illitch Ballpark.

CONNECT WITH THE CRUSADERS: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
SUBSCRIBE/DOWNLOAD TEAM SCHEDULES: Download Center
DOWNLOAD THE NEW MOBILE APP: Google Play | iOS