GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Madonna University baseball team (18-17, 9-7 WHAC) split with the Aquinas Saints on Saturday, April 5th. The Crusaders would take care of business in game one defeating the Saints 10-1 in seven innings. In a thrilling game two the Saints would walk away with the win in extra innings, defeating the Crusaders 5-4 in 10 innings. 

GAME 1

Madonna wasted no time in taking control of the game, scoring three runs in the first inning. The Crusaders capitalized on aggressive baserunning, including a double steal where Luke Spicer would steal home while Kyle Revere took second, and a 2-RBI single by Johnny Stepek that brought home Revere and Bobby Cavin. The early momentum proved to be insurmountable for Aquinas, who struggled to generate any offensive threat early on.
Madonna didn't slow down, adding four more runs in the fourth inning. Payton Mazzola drove in another run with a single to right field, bringing in Kooper Etheridge. Spicer followed with an RBI single, and the Crusaders' lead ballooned to 7-0.
Aquinas did manage to score a run in the sixth inning, but it was far too little, too late. Madonna responded with another pair of runs in the seventh, pushing the lead to 10-1. The game was highlighted by efficient pitching from Alex Duley, who earned the win with a strong performance, and stellar defense behind him that kept Aquinas from capitalizing on its opportunities.

GAME 2

In a dramatic and hard-fought matchup, the Saints were able to come out on top over the Crusaders 5-4 in a thrilling contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final out. The game featured a late rally by the Saints, who overcame a tie in the seventh inning to secure the victory.
The first runs came in the second inning, when Aquinas took the lead with one out, Saints' leadoff hitter came up to the plate and tripled to right-center field, scoring two key runs after a couple of base hits had put runners on first and second. The triple, which cleared the bases, put Aquinas ahead 2-0 and shifted the momentum early in the Saints' favor.
For Madonna, the deficit was tough to swallow, but the Crusaders refused to back down. The Crusaders' defense remained solid, and Alex Duley found his rhythm once more, allowing just a single base runner over the next three innings. Despite this, Aquinas' defense continued to hold firm, making some excellent plays to keep Madonna off the scoreboard.
The Crusaders' offense, which had been stymied for much of the game, finally began to find its footing in the seventh inning. After a quiet first six frames, Madonna capitalized on a few key opportunities to tie the game. With two outs and runners on second and third, Crusaders' outfielder Bobby Cavin came through with a clutch two-RBI double to center field. This hit brought the game to a one score game at 3-2, bringing the dugout to life and shifting the momentum in favor of the Crusaders.
It was a key moment for Madonna, who had struggled to generate offense but were suddenly back in the game thanks to Cavin's timely hit. The one run deficit set up a thrilling final two innings, with both teams now looking for that one big hit to seize the game.
The drama didn't end there, as Aquinas wasn't about to let the Crusaders steal the game from them on their home field. In the very next inning, the Saints regained their two run lead with a clutch hit of their own. In the top of the eighth, with one out, a single up the middle, driving in a run and putting Aquinas ahead 4-2. 
But Madonna wasn't done fighting. The Crusaders came up clutch in their final at bat in the top of the ninth with another huge hit from Cavin with an RBI double to bring the Saints lead back to one. Aiden Shipman would come in to run for Cavin and would advance to third on a wild pitch leaving a runner on third with no outs. J. Stepek would be the one to bring across the run for the Crusaders on an RBI groundout to tie the game up at 4-4. The Crusaders would allow two runners on in the bottom of the ninth but would get three outs before any runs would come across to send the game into extra innings. 
The Crusaders would show three up and three down in the top of the ninth. With the Saints picking up a walkoff triple after a leadoff walk to take down the Crusaders 5-4 in 10 innings. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Cavin would go 6-for-6 between the two games with five RBIs and two doubles.
• J. Stepek would go 2-for-8 with two RBIs and a walk.
• Duley pitched a full seven innings in game one with only five hits given up and three strikeouts.

UP NEXT:

The Crusaders will be back in action Sunday, April 6th as they travel to Adrian, Mich. to take on the Saints of Siena Heights. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.   


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