SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team split a pair of games against Mount Vernon Nazarene University in the conference home opener at Hank Burbridge Field Friday.

The Cougars rallied to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh in game one, but could not get the big hit they needed, falling 6-4. After trailing the whole again in the nightcap, SAU loaded the bases again in the bottom of the ninth. The Cougars got the hit they were looking for this time as Francisco Ondina walked it off with a bases clearing double to take home the win in game two, 4-3.

THE BASICS

SCORES: Spring Arbor 4, Mount Vernon Nazarene 6

Spring Arbor 4, Mount Vernon Nazarene 3

LOCATION: Hank Burbridge Field | Spring Arbor, Mich.

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 13-13 (4-2 CL), Mount Vernon Nazarene 12-9 (1-2 CL)

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• Mount Vernon Nazarene took the lead early on a two-run home run from Jesse Staudt in the top of the first inning. Not to worry though as Spring Arbor tied it up, thanks to Chris Triplett stealing home and an RBI single from Jacob King the home half of the inning.
• The visitors answered right back with three more runs in the second.
• In the third inning, SAU cut the deficit to 5-3 when Ondina hit a fly to center field that was deep enough to score Jack Driscoll, who led off the inning with a triple. After the sacrifice fly, it was a pitching duel between Gavin Harris, and MVNU's Mark Rader the rest of the way.
• After the second inning, the young right-hander Harris settled in and dominated. Going seven strong innings, allowing six hits, two walks, and punching out six batters.
• The five runs were enough run support for MVNU's starting pitcher Mark Rader. Rader pitched a great game as he went six innings of work, allowing three hits, three runs (one earned), two walks, and six strikeouts.
• Layne Riley, the freshman closer for MVNU, came in to shut the door. Riley faced Josiah Kitchen to start the bottom of the seventh. Kitchen struck out but advanced to first base on the wild pitch. Back-to-back wild pitches thereafter scored Kitchen from third. This was the only run that Spring Arbor could get across the plate.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Spring Arbor and MVNU were entrenched in a pitcher's duel in game two. In this nine inning game both Duncan Patterson and Payton Booth, sophomore of Mount Vernon Nazarene, pitched a hard-fought game. Patterson, pitched seven innings, giving up eight hits, three runs (one earned), no walks, and five strikeouts as he put SAU in a great position to win. But Booth was just as good, as he went eight innings, allowed seven hits, one run, one walk, and five strikeouts.
• MVNU pushed three runs across through the first six innings, capitalizing on a couple SAU miscues and some timely hits. The Cougars started chipping away at the lead as freshman Peyton Harding singled home fellow freshman Josiah Kitchen in the bottom of the sixth to close the gap to 3-1.
• Spring Arbor still trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth, setting the stage for Ondina's heroics. The senior got to live every little leaguer's dream as he walked to the plate with his team down two runs with two outs and the bases loaded. Ondina smashed the first offering off the wall down the right field line, allowing Harding, James Hall, and Triplett to score.

QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH RYAN MARKEN

• "It was a long day. And we trailed for 16 innings until Franco brought us back from the dead. What an awesome moment for this team."
• "I thought Gavin threw well enough to give us a chance and we didn't do much to help him offensively or defensively. And then, I thought Duncan was really sharp, the best he's been all year. We didn't do him any favors on defense, and we were lost offensively for eight innings in that game. Credit their arm. He suffocated our hitters. But, the beauty of baseball is you always have a chance, and we capitalized when we needed it most. Franco's mom and dad were here from Puerto Rico today. What a special moment."
• "Now we have a great opportunity to accomplish our goal, which is to win the series. It should be a great series finale."

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor and Mount Vernon Nazarene will play the rubber match Saturday, Mar. 24 at Hank Burbridge starting at 1 p.m.

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