HUNTINGTON, Ind. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team won both games of its doubleheader against Huntington University on Tuesday with a 4-1, 10-inning victory in game one and a 2-0 shutout in game two.
With the victories, SAU earned the series win over the Foresters and now sits just two games back in the Crossroads League standings of the current leader Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
In the opener, seven innings were not enough to decide a winner as the Cougars and Foresters headed to extras tied 1-1. Huntington loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but junior Heath Sullivan induced an inning-ending groundout to escape the jam unharmed.
Freshman Francisco Ondina singled to lead off the 10th, and advanced to second on a passed ball. After moving up to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Wegrzyn, the Foresters intentionally walked Tyler Baker and JP Maracani to load the bases. Brandon Katta made HU pay immediately with a base hit to right field, driving in the go-ahead run. The Cougars would also tack on a pair of insurance runs on a two-RBI single by Jonathan Newman.
Huntington would get its leadoff batter aboard in the home half of the inning, but Sullivan would retire the next three in order to earn his first win of the season.
Eight different Cougars recorded hits in the game, including Baker who notched two and an RBI.
Junior Mitchel Patterson was outstanding on the mound, allowing just one run on six hits over 8.2 innings while striking out six. Sullivan worked 1.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to pick up the win.
In the series finale, the Spring Arbor pitching staff continued to shine, as it had all series long. Freshman Sam Memmelaar tossed 5.2 shutout innings, scattering five hits, to record his fourth win of the season. Drew Weston added one inning of scoreless relief while Sullivan entered to close out the game and earn his seventh save of the season.
Spring Arbor tallied its first run in the third inning after freshman Adam Rojas tripled to lead off the frame. Jack Driscoll, who came in to run for Rojas, would cross the plate three batters later on a fielder's choice. The Cougars added another run in the sixth when Newman drew a bases loaded walk allowing Wegrzyn to score.
Spring Arbor will host Cleary University on Wednesday, Apr. 15 in non-conference action before opening a four-game series with Grace College on Friday, Apr. 17.
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