Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Colin Starr homered twice in MNU's road sweep at Graceland, bringing Coach Thompson's career win total past 200. In Game 1, MNU scored in the first inning when
Jordan Eckley singled and moved up on an error.
Carlos Vargas knocked him home with a double, and MNU led 1-0. The Pioneers led 2-0 in the sixth when a Graceland solo homer brought home the first earned run of the season against starter
Tino Luna, but
Colin Starr answered in the top of the seventh with his 1st homer of the season. Luna closed out the game with 2 strikeouts in the seventh, and MNU won 3-1. Luna struck out 10 in a complete game 4-hitter, and Vargas (2-3, 2B, RBI, HBP),
Joe Smith (2-4, R, SB), and Starr (1-2, R, HR, RBI, BB) led the offense.
In Game 2, which was scheduled for 9 innings, starter
Trent Hedlund benefitted from an offensive explosion as the Pioneers won 11-0 in 7 innings via the mercy rule. In the top of the second,
Seth Lieser led off with a single, and
Jordan Jones walked 1 out later. Before the 2nd out was recorded,
Colin Starr doubled,
Clayton Brandt singled,
Trent Sullivan tripled,
Jordan Eckley singled, and
Carlos Vargas walked to give MNU a 5-0 lead. Two more runs scored before the inning ended, and the Pioneers held a 7-run advantage. Starr homered with 1 out in the next inning, and back-to-back doubles from Brandt and Sullivan were followed by an RBI single from Eckley to put MNU up by 10. Brandt's solo homer in the fifth put MNU up 11-0, and the Pioneers finished the shutout. Hedlund struck out 6 in 6 innings, and Brandt (4-5, 3 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Sullivan (3-4, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI),
Jordan Eckley (2-5, R, 2 RBI),
Seth Lieser (3-3, R, 2B), and
Colin Starr (3-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) had big games at the plate.
MNU is 26-13. The next game is a non conference 9-inning road game at University of St. Mary (22-20) on Monday at 1:00.
