SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team claimed a pair of victories against Indiana Wesleyan University on Tuesday at Hank Burbridge Field, holding on to win 5-4 in the opener before taking game two 5-1.
The Cougars improved their record to 17-8 overall and 10-4 in the Crossroads League, while the Wildcats slipped to 17-19 with a 7-7 mark in conference play.
Indiana Wesleyan grabbed a quick lead with a run in the top of the first inning in game one, but SAU answered in the bottom half of the frame when senior JP Maracani launched a two-run homer. The Cougars would tally another run in the inning when sophomore Christian Davis scored on a double by junior Jonathan Newman.
Spring Arbor added to its lead in the second inning when sophomore Jeremiah Johnson drew a bases loaded walk allowing freshman Francisco Ondina to cross the plate. Senior Tyler Baker would also come around to score on a sacrifice fly from Davis.
After surrendering the unearned run in the first inning, sophomore pitcher Robert Cleary held the Wildcats scoreless over the next four innings, but IWU managed to push two runs across in the sixth to cut the deficit to two, 5-3.
In the seventh, with one run already in, the Wildcats had the tying run on third base with only one out, but junior Heath Sullivan would strike out the next two batters to nail down his conference-leading sixth save of the season.
Cleary earned his fourth win after giving up just one earned run in six innings of work while fanning four batters.
In the nightcap, freshman Sam Memmelaar shut down the Indiana Wesleyan offense, allowing only one unearned run on five hits over six innings while striking out four.
After falling behind again early, SAU leveled the score with an RBI single by freshman Adam Rojas in the second inning, and Johnson put the Cougars in front for good when he drove in junior Mitchel Patterson with a base hit as part of a three run third. Senior Nick Harris capped the scoring with an RBI hit in the fifth inning.
Eight different players recorded hits for Spring Arbor, including Johnson, who finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
Up next, the Cougars will travel to Huntington University for a four-game series with the Foresters set to begin on Friday, Apr. 10 at 4 p.m.
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