Baseball Sweeps Marantha

CARLINVILLE, IL – The Blackburn College Baseball team hosted Maranatha Baptist University in a nonconference doubleheader Tuesday and came away with a sweep over the Sabercats. The Beavers took the first game 13-7 before taking a 12-2 victory in the nightcap.

Freshman Austin Wood led the offense with three hits, four runs batted in and scored three runs. Freshman Isaiah Mckenzie added three RBI's. Freshman Johnny Duran posted a team high two doubles.

Freshman Quinn Morrow threw five strikeouts in three innings to lead all pitchers.

The opener saw MBU score two runs in the first inning but Blackburn answered with seven runs. Senior Harley Carney walked and stole second before senior Brett Lander walked. Duran then hit his first double to score Carney. After a walk from sophomore Dominic Medrano, junior Luke Ellinger doubled which allowed Duran and Lander to score and give BC the 3-2 lead. A wild pitch allowed Medrano to score and moved Ellinger to third. After a Mckenzie walk and stolen base, Wood knocked both Mckenzie and Ellinger in making it 6-2. Carney came up again and was hit by a pitch before Lander hit into a fielder's choice to allow Wood to score and give Blackburn a 7-2 lead after the first inning.

The Beavers added a run in the third, when Lander hit a sacrifice fly to the outfield allowing Wood to score another run.

MBU responded with five runs in the fourth inning to pull within 8-7 but BC answered with four runs of their own. Duran scored the first run on a groundout after getting on with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ellinger and Mckenzie walked before Wood's double allowed the pair to score. Carney followed with another double to score Wood and put the Beavers back up 12-7.

Blackburn added another run in the fifth when freshman Joey Congi walked then took advantage of a wild pitch and error to get to third. He scored during the next at bat and gave the game the 13-7 final.

In the nightcap, the Sabercats scored first before BC scored five in their first inning. Senior Royce Congi and freshman Carter Hall both walked and soon found themselves on second and third before sophomore Andrew Medina doubled to score both and make it 2-1. After advancing to third thanks to freshman Santos Mercado's single, Medina scored on a passed ball. With two on, Mckenzie came up and doubled to score Mercado and Ellis scored off a sacrifice fly by junior Pedro Medina.  

Both teams scored a run in the second inning. R. Congi got on with a single then stole second and got to third off a pop out by Hall. He would score on a passed ball.

In the third inning, Ellis doubled to left and scored on a single from P. Medina, who used two passed balls to get to third base. He then scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Will Mason to make the score 8-2.

The Beavers extended their lead in the fourth inning. R. Congi got on through an error and soon reached third. Hall and A. Medina walked before another error allowed Mercado to get on and allowed R. Congi to score.

Ellis followed with a sacrifice fly which scored Hall. After Mercado and Medina stole, Medina scored on a groundout and Mercado scored off a wild pitch, making it 12-2 for the final score.

With the wins, Blackburn is now 13-8 on the season and returns to St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action with a doubleheader at Webster University Tuesday.