SPRING ARBOR, MI – The Spring Arbor baseball team was back on Hank Burbridge Field Friday afternoon, this time for a Crossroads League matchup with Saint Francis. Both games turned out to be pitcher's duels, with only five pitchers being used between the teams in the two games. In game one, Spring Arbor would strike first, but Saint Francis would storm back in the late innings and take the 6-1 win. In game two, offense came at a premium, as the two teams combined for only six hits, but Saint Francis had the upper hand, scoring the lone run in the fifth inning, and riding that to a 1-0 victory.  

 
SCORES:  
Spring Arbor 1, Saint Francis 6 
Spring Arbor 0, Saint Francis 1 

LOCATION:  
Hank Burbridge Field  

RECORDS:  
Spring Arbor 23-17, 13-13; Saint Francis 20-18, 17-9 

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS: 

Pitching was the story early in game one, as both teams went down in order in the first two frames. Cougar starter John Hojnowski would sit the opposing Cougars down again in the top of third, and in the bottom half, we saw our first offense of the game, as Connor Dee put the first hit and run on the board for SAU with a home run to left, giving them a 1-0 lead.  

Over the next few frames, the Spring Arbor offense would be held in check, while Hojnowski would continue to roll, carrying a perfect game into the seventh inning, where an infield single would end the bid. In that inning, Saint Francis was able to scratch across a run, using a stolen base and an RBI single to tie the score at 1 apiece. In the top of the eighth, Saint Francis would strike again, using a double, bunt, and an RBI double to take a 2-1 lead, and they would hold Spring Arbor scoreless in the bottom half, taking that lead into the ninth.  

In the ninth, the Saint Francis offense would come alive, scoring four runs on an RBI single and a bases-loaded double that cleared the bases, giving them a 6-1 lead, and putting them in the drivers seat. Spring Arbor was unable to muster a rally in their half, and Saint Francis took game one, 6-1.  

 
 
GAME ONE PERFORMERS 

Pitching:  

John Hojnowski: 8.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K's 

Hitting: 

Connor Dee: 2 for 3, HR, 2B, R, RBI, BB 

Ryan Gonzalez: 1 for 3, HBP 

Jake Zeeb: 1 for 4 

Brenden Phillips: 1 for 4 

Zach Adams: 1 for 4 

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS: 

For as much as game one was a pitcher's duel, game two was even more so, as the first four innings were scoreless, with Jake Zeeb and Joey Tessmer recording the only two hits for either team in that span, and Cougar starter Josh Murphy carrying a no-hitter through those four frames. In the top of the fifth, Saint Francis would break up that no-hitter, as well as the shutout, using three straight singles to take a 1-0 lead. Murphy was able to work out of the inning without any more damage, but that run would turn out to be quite crucial.  

After Saint Francis got on the board, Spring Arbor could not respond, and after Ryan Gonzalez's single in the fourth inning, went down in the order for the rest of the game, as the Saint Francis starter retired 12 straight Cougars, and gave his team the 1-0 victory. Murphy was brilliant apart from the fifth inning, and tossed his first complete game of the year, but unfortunately ended up with the tough luck loss.  

GAME TWO PERFORMERS: 

Pitching: 

Josh Murphy: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K's 

Hitting: 

Joey Tessmer: 1 for 3 

Ryan Gonzalez: 1 for 3 

Jake Zeeb: 1 for 3 

UP NEXT 
Spring Arbor will play their last two games of the season on Hank Burbridge Field on Saturday, concluding their series against Saint Francis with a doubleheader. Saturday will also be Senior Day, where the Cougars will be honoring six seniors. First pitch is scheduled for 3 PM.