SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team split its doubleheader with Marian University on Friday at Hank Burbridge Field. The Cougars held on to take game one 9-8, but would fall to the Knights in a 16-8 slugfest in the nightcap.

THE BASICS

SCORES: Spring Arbor 9, Marian 8;

Spring Arbor 8, Marian 16

LOCATION: Hank Burbridge Field | Spring Arbor, Mich.

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 16-15 (7-4 CL), Marian 10-16 (4-4 CL)

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• Marian pulled ahead early, plating three runs in the top of the first inning.
• Spring Arbor capitalized for four runs on a pair of MU miscues in the second to take the lead. Vincent Herschberger got the scoring started, crossing the plate on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Josiah Kitchen scored on a single by Jack Driscoll, but a throwing error would allow two more runs to come home.
• The two teams went back and forth over the next three innings. With the score tied 6-6 in the fifth, Spring Arbor scored three runs to take the lead for good, including two on a clutch, two-out double by Evan Lorey.
• Marian made things interesting in the seventh, scoring twice to get within one run. However, Herschberger induced a game-ending double play to secure the victory and earn his third save of the season.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Spring Arbor scored in six of the nine innings, but it was not enough to keep pace with Marian's high-powered offense. The Knights pounded out 16 hits on their way to scoring 16 runs, which equaled their single-game season-high.
• Vincent Herschberger smashed a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 2-2. However, Marian would score eight runs over the next three innings to break things open.
• Trailing 10-3 in the sixth, the Cougars closed the gap to five following an RBI single by Chris Triplett and an RBI groundout by Francisco Ondina.
• Marian answered with four more runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach.
• Jacob King went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and a home run. Herschberger collected three RBI's going 2-for-5 while Ondina scored three times.

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor and Marian will play the series finale on Saturday, Mar. 31 with first pitch set for 11:30 a.m.

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