MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – The Spring Arbor University baseball team dropped both games of its Crossroads League doubleheader at No. 24 Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Tuesday. The Cougars fell 6-3 in the opener and 7-3 in game two.
With the losses, Spring Arbor dipped to 23-13 overall and 16-8 in the conference while league-leading MVNU improved to 29-7 on the season with a mark of 18-2 in the CL.
In game one, Mount Vernon Nazarene grabbed a quick lead after plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning. MVNU continued to add to its lead pushing three runs across in the third and one more in the fourth.
Trailing 6-0, Spring Arbor cut into the deficit with a run in the fifth inning when Chris Wegrzyn scored on a base hit by Tyler Baker. The Cougars threatened in the sixth, putting runners on the corners with only one out, but would only tally one run on a fielder's choice.
In the seventh, JP Maracani led off the frame with his fifth home run of the season to close the gap to three, 6-3. After back-to-back outs, Adam Rojas singled and Conner Lengerich reached on a walk to bring the tying run to the plate, but MVNU would escape the jam without further damage.
Maracani finished 3-for-4 at the plate while Rojas and Jeremiah Johnson collected two apiece.
Brody Harris suffered the loss after surrendering six runs on eight hits. Cody Franklin came out of the bullpen to throw an inning of scoreless relief while recording one strikeout.
In the nightcap, Spring Arbor was forced to play from behind again after giving up five runs in the first inning. The Cougars got two runs back in the second on RBI singles by Jack Driscoll and Francisco Ondina.
After SAU scored in the fifth to get within two, 5-3, Mount Vernon Nazarene answered with two runs in the home half of the inning on a two-run homer to put the game away.
Wegrzyn continued his hot hitting with two more hits, including a double, while Driscoll also picked up a pair.
Spencer Goebel took the loss giving up seven runs on 10 hits while striking out seven.
The Cougars will host local rival Albion College on Wednesday, Apr. 22 at 4 p.m. before returning to Crossroads League action with a doubleheader at Goshen College on Friday, Apr. 24.
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