FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team hit three home runs, including a grand slam by Peyton Harding, on the way to a 12-8 series opening victory over the University of Saint Francis on Friday.

Harding's grand slam was his second in his last nine at-bats after also hitting one last Saturday to lead the Cougars past Taylor University. Chris Triplett hit his ninth big fly of the season, which is tied for the most in the Crossroads League, while Evan Lorey smashed his first of the season.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Spring Arbor 12, Saint Francis 8

LOCATION: Fort Wayne, Ind.

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 18-21 (9-8 CL), Saint Francis 12-27 (6-11 CL)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Spring Arbor scored five runs in the first inning – highlighted by Harding's grand slam.
• Lorey made it a 6-0 Cougar lead following his solo home run in the fourth inning.
• Saint Francis got back in the game with five runs over a three-inning span. The home team scored two in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh to get within three, 8-5.
• Spring Arbor halted the USF momentum, however, with four runs in the eighth inning – all with two outs. A two-out error allowed the inning to continue, and Triplett, the very next batter, made it hurt by blasting a two-run shot out to center field. Three batters later, pinch-hitter Jake Ellis delivered a two-RBI double.
• Harding was 2-for-4 with four RBI's while Triplett was 2-for-5 with two RBI's. Conner Lengerich also had two hits and scored three times.
• Zachariah Devon gave up two runs on five hits over 4.2 innings of work while fanning five batters. Vincent Herschberger pitched the final 4.1 innings giving up six runs and striking out five.

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor returns to Fort Wayne, Indiana on Saturday, Apr. 13 to conclude its series with Saint Francis. The first game of the scheduled doubleheader is set to start at 1 p.m. 

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