DAVENPORT, Fla. – Marian University baseball (3-4, 0-0 NACC) split the final doubleheader of their spring trip defeating Northwestern (Minn.) 5-2 before falling 8-0.
A quick start paved the way for the Sabres to take game one of the series after scoring four runs in the top of the first. Graduate student Sean Meyer opened the scoring with a double that scored a run, which was followed by a single from freshman James Bornick that plated senior Josh Gates. Sophomore Tyler Blum would bring in Bornick and then got caught in a rundown long enough to let senior Jeremy Laffoon score.
A home run from the Eagles in the bottom half of the inning cut the Sabre lead in half but both pitchers were able to settle in. The only run that would score the remainder of the game came off the bat of sophomore Riley Palmquist in the fifth inning.
Senior Jonah Landowski (2-0) allowed just four hits over 7.0 innings for his second complete-game victory. He would also finish the game with 10 punch outs. Freshmen Gus Walker and Bornick each had multi-hit games along with Meyer.
The Sabre offense was silenced in game two managing just two hits. Meyer had one of the hits along with sophomore Albert Kiszka. The Eagles would manage just one run after five innings but scored three in the sixth following a costly Marian error. Northwestern (Minn.) then closed out the game with four runs in the seventh.
Graduate student Taylor Middaugh (1-1) went 5.2 innings allowing just one earned run with four strikeouts in the tough-luck loss.
Marian takes on Fontbonne tomorrow, Saturday, March 12, at 8:15 a.m. (CST) to close out the spring trip.
