SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – After battling rain most of the day, the Spring Arbor University baseball team was able to edge out Marian University in a rain-shortened series finale 4-3 on Saturday at Hank Burbridge Field to win the weekend Crossroads League series.

Spring Arbor led 4-3 after seven innings, but Marian scored one run in the top of the eighth to tie the score. However, before the top of the inning was complete, the umpires decided to call the game due to rain and playing conditions. The decision took MU's run off the board and the score reverted back to the last completed inning giving the Cougars the win.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Spring Arbor 4, Marian 3

LOCATION: Hank Burbridge Field | Spring Arbor, Mich.

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 17-15 (8-4 CL), Marian 10-17 (4-5 CL)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Spring Arbor scored twice in the bottom of the second inning to grab the early lead. Emilio Perez executed a perfect safety squeeze, allowing James Hall to cross the plate. Josiah Kitchen would also score in the inning on a wild pitch.
• The Cougars added another run in the fifth inning after Vincent Herschberger drew a walk with the bases loaded.
• After being silenced through the first five innings, the Marian offense pushed two runs across in the sixth and one in the seventh to tie the score.
• Francisco Ondina reached on a bunt base hit to get things going for SAU in the seventh. With heads up base running, he advanced to second a fly out and took third base on a wild pitch, putting the go-ahead run just 90 feet away. Then, Jacob King delivered a two-out single to left field bringing in the winning run.
• Gavin Harris went the distance, throwing all seven innings to pick up the win on the mound. He gave up three runs on five hits with six strikeouts.

QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH RYAN MARKEN

• "I'm really proud of how we competed all weekend. Duncan was great yesterday and our offense was really good. We fought through the rain today and found a way to do enough."
• "Gavin Harris was phenomenal on the mound against arguably the best offense in our league. I'm really excited for him. He works so hard, and to have it come together in a huge conference finale was special."
• "Our offense executed all weekend and we just played really hard. Belief is a powerful thing, and these young men believe in each other right now."

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor travels to Lima, Ohio to take on the University of Northwestern Ohio (20-14) on Tuesday, Apr. 3 in non-conference action. 

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