SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team exploded for five runs in the seventh inning to overcome a 4-3 deficit and record an 8-4 victory over local rival Albion College on Thursday at Hank Burbridge Field.
The win snapped the Cougars' three-game slide and improved the squad to 24-13 on the season, while also giving head coach Sam Riggleman is 998th career victory. The Britons, meanwhile, dropped to 14-17 overall.
Albion grabbed an early 1-0 lead with a run in the second inning, but Spring Arbor was able to jump in front with three in the fourth. With runners on first and second, JP Maracani ripped a double to left to drive in Chris Wegrzyn. Following an RBI groundout by Jeremiah Johnson, Tyler Baker executed a perfect squeeze allowing Maracani to cross the plate.
The Britons answered right back, however, plating a pair of runs in the sixth to tie the score, and adding the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh.
Trailing 4-3 in the home half of the seventh, the Cougars loaded the bases with only one out. Maracani drew a base on balls to push across the tying run, and Johnson followed with a two-RBI single up the middle to give SAU the lead. After a Briton error advanced runners to second and third, Baker laid down his second squeeze bunt of the day, allowing both Maracani and Conner Lengerich – running for Johnson – to score.
Drew Weston and Cody Franklin would combine to toss 2.2 innings of shutout relief and nail down the win for the Cougars.
Wegrzyn continued his hot hitting picking up two more hits and scoring twice while Johnson and Baker recorded three RBIs apiece.
Robert Cleary pitched 6.1 innings allowing four runs on seven hits. Weston earned his first win of the season after coming out of the bullpen and throwing a scoreless inning with one strikeout.
Spring Arbor returns to action at Goshen College on Friday, Apr. 24. First pitch of the scheduled doubleheader is slated for 2 p.m.
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