MESA, Ariz. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team opened its Arizona trip Thursday against Benedictine University Mesa. The Cougars struck first with three runs in the fifth inning, but the Redhawks battled back and escaped with a 4-3 win.
 
The game was scoreless through the first four innings before the SAU broke through in the top of the fifth. With runners on first and second and one out, freshman Ethan Goddard hit a double to left field to plate the game's first run. A sacrifice fly from Zach Adams extended the lead to 2-0, and Goddard later came around to score on an error to give SAU a 3-0 advantage.
 
Kyler Hinken kept the Redhawks off the scoreboard through four innings, but Benedictine Mesa capitalized on a Cougar error in the fifth, scoring twice to cut into the deficit. The Redhawks added a two-out run in the sixth to tie the game before pushing across the go-ahead run with two outs in the seventh.
 
Spring Arbor had one final opportunity in the ninth, moving the tying run to third base, but was unable to bring him home.
 
The SAU offense was limited to four hits on the day. Hinken suffered the loss on the mound after allowing four runs on eight hits over 6.2 innings, striking out four. Lucas Dawson and Kyle Kantola combined for 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
 
Up next, SAU will face No. 15 Arizona Christian University in a three-game series. The teams will play a single game Friday, Feb. 20 at 9 p.m. ET, followed by a doubleheader Saturday, Feb. 21 beginning at 4 p.m. ET.