AVE MARIA, Fla. – Junior Jonathan Newman delivered a clutch two-out hit in the top of the 10th inning to drive in the go-ahead run and lift the Spring Arbor University baseball team to a 7-6 season opening win over Ave Maria University on Friday.
Senior JP Maracani walked to lead off the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by fellow senior Brandon Katta. After stealing third base, he would come around to score on Newman's rip into left field. Junior right-hander Heath Sullivan entered in the bottom half of the inning and slammed the door shut, retiring the Gyrenes (9-13) in order, to pick up his first save of the season.
Seven different Cougars collected hits on the afternoon while Chris Wegrzyn and Francisco Ondina each crossed the plate twice. Wegrzyn and freshman Conner Lengerich finished with two RBI's apiece. Sophomore Brody Harris went 4.0 innings allowing three runs, two earned, while fanning seven batters. Classmate Robert Cleary tossed 5.0 innings also surrendering three runs, two earned, while striking out six.
Harris was dominant through the first three innings, facing just one batter over the minimum. He retired the first two Gyrenes to start the bottom of the fourth, but the southpaw found himself in a jam after issuing a two-out walk. The home squad followed with three straight hits to jump on top 2-0, and would tack on a more run before the inning was over on an SAU error.
The Cougars answered, however, with six unanswered runs to grab a 6-3 lead. Wegrzyn laced an RBI triple in the sixth inning and would score on a sacrifice fly by Maracani. Then, in the seventh, Spring Arbor plated four more runs, including two on Lengerich's single down the right field line.
Ave Maria capitalized on a pair of errors in the bottom half of the seventh, though, to tie the score setting the stage for Newman's heroics in extra innings.
Spring Arbor (1-0) jumps right back in action tomorrow with two more games against Ave Maria. First pitch of the double-header is slated for 11 a.m.
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