SPRING ARBOR, MI – The series between Spring Arbor and Marian began with lots of offense on Friday, as the two teams combined to score 45 runs, but in the series finale on Saturday afternoon, the offense was a little harder to come by. In game one, Marian quickly put up three runs in the first, and didn't score again until the sixth where they added two more, all while holding the Cougar offense at bay through nine innings to win 5-0. Game two looked to be all Marian once again, as the Knights jumped out to a 4-0 lead, before Spring Arbor stormed back with a four-run fifth to take the lead 5-4. Marian would regain the lead, 6-5, with a two-run bottom of the sixth, before Spring Arbor retook the lead for good with a two-run top of the seventh, shutting the door in the bottom half to win 7-6 and get the series split.
SCORES:
Spring Arbor 0, Marian 5
Spring Arbor 7, Marian 6
LOCATION:
MU Ballpark | Indianapolis, Indiana
RECORDS:
Spring Arbor 15-11, 7-7 Marian 13-12, 9-5,
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS:
Spring Arbor went scoreless in the top of the first and the Marian offense wasted no time, scoring three runs on an RBI double, RBI single and sacrifice fly to go up 3-0 early on Cougar starter Kyler Hinken.
Both starters settled in, as the next four innings were scoreless for both teams, before Marian struck again in the sixth, scoring two on a 2-RBI double with two outs to take a 5-0 lead. Spring Arbor continued to be held in check offensively, once again going scoreless in the seventh. Jack Will came into the game in relief in the seventh and threw two clean frames to prevent any more Marian offense, but Spring Arbor was unable to muster a rally and Marian took game one of the day, 5-0.
GAME ONE PERFORMERS
Pitching:
Kyler Hinken: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K's
Jack Will: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 R, BB, 3 K's
Hitting:
Jake Zeeb: 2 for 4, 2 2B
Eli DeVisser: 1 for 3, 2B, SAC Bunt
Connor Dee: 1 for 3, BB
Landon Raczkowski: 1 for 4
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS:
Game two started out as a pitcher's duel, with both teams going scoreless in the first two frames while stranding runners in scoring position. In the top of the third, Spring Arbor had a chance to take the lead with two outs, with a runner on second and Raczkowski in the midst of an absolute battle of an at-bat. During the at-bat, Cougar manager Ryan Marken was ejected from the contest after questioning a controversial foul ball call on Raczkowski that appeared to be a hit by pitch. Raczkowski would eventually strike out to end the threat, and Marian would take the momentum into the bottom half of the third.
In that third inning, the Knights offense came to life, scoring four runs on two RBI singles, a fielder's choice, and a wild pitch, knocking Cougar starter Trammell Lindstrom out of the game, and taking a 4-0 lead. Spring Arbor would get a run back in the top of the fourth as Ryan Gonzalez tripled and scored on a Braydon Gregory sacrifice fly to trim the Cougar deficit to three, 4-1. Reliever Colin Snyder would toss a scoreless fourth, and Spring Arbor used that momentum to come alive in the fifth.
The frame started with a Zach Adams walk, and pinch runner Jake Spedoske scored on the next play, as Eli DeVisser tripled to deep right field to bring Spring Arbor within two runs, 4-2. Joey Tessmer and Aiden Brunin followed that up with walks to load the bases, and Landon Raczkowski drew another walk to inch another run closer, 4-3. Two batters later, Ryan Gonzalez came through in the clutch, singling through the left side to bring home two, and give Spring Arbor their first lead, 5-4.
In the bottom of the fifth, Snyder tossed another scoreless frame to keep the Cougars in the lead. Spring Arbor couldn't add on in the top of the sixth which led to the Marian offense looking to retake the lead. After a quick first out in the bottom of the sixth, that is exactly what they did, using a walk, RBI double, and two wild pitches to score the tying and go ahead runs, and go up 6-5. Spring Arbor did not lay down however, and in the top of the seventh, they began a rally of their own, as Brunin started the inning by reaching on a hit by pitch, and Raczkowski tied the game in the next at bat, driving a ball deep into the right center gap which was dropped by the center fielder after he ran into the fence, allowing Brunin to score, Raczkowski to reach third, and the Cougars to tie the game, 6-6. Two batters later, Gonzalez found his clutch gene once again, driving an RBI single to right to give Spring Arbor the lead right back, 7-6.
In the bottom of the seventh, Will was on the mound once again, and after allowing a one out single, induced a weak flyout, and struck out the final hitter to earn the Cougars the split of the series with a 7-6 win.
GAME TWO PERFORMERS:
Pitching:
Colin Snyder: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's
Jack Will: Win, 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's
Hitting:
Ryan Gonzalez: 3 for 4, 3B, R, 3 RBI
Eli DeVisser: 1 for 3, 3B, R, RBI
Landon Raczkowski: 0 for 3, R, 2 RBI, BB
Aiden Brunin: 1 for 2, 2 R, BB, HBP, SB
Braydon Gregory: 1 for 3, 2B, RBI, SAC Fly
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor will once again hit the road for a Crossroads League set, as they travel to Mount Vernon, Ohio to take on Mount Vernon Nazarene. The four-game set will begin with a doubleheader on Friday, March 28th. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
