SCORE: GM 1 – IT 5, MU 6; GM 2 – IT 1, MU 2 (8)
RECORDS: Indiana Tech (12-15, 7-6 WHAC), #RV Madonna (23-9, 13-2 WHAC))
LOCATION: Livonia, Mich. (Ilitch Ballpark)
 
BRIEF: The Indiana Tech baseball team pushed Madonna, who is receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches' Poll, to the brink in Saturday's Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference doubleheader as the Crusaders needed a pair of walk-offs and extra innings in game two to take down the Warriors. In game one the offense couldn't get the final score they needed and in the final game of the series, James McReynolds solid pitching performance was overshadowed by another walk-off.
 
FLOW:
GAME 1
- The Warriors scored first with a Dezmon Nunn leadoff home run, the teams' sixth home run in five games
- The Crusaders drew even with an unearned run without a hit in the bottom of the first
- Chris Gaynor and Nunn both reached to begin the third and after a sac bunt, Gaynor scored on Romer Portes' RBI groundout
- A solo home run by the home team tied the score again in the bottom of the inning
- Madonna loaded the bases in the fifth and scored a pair of runs to take a 4-2 lead
- Another unearned run scored for the Crusaders in the sixth without a hit
- In the seventh, Ryne Terry and Peyton Newsom each singled and, after Terry scored on an MU error, Portes tied the game with a two-run triple to right field
- Neither offense did much until the ninth when a two-out single by Madonna ended the game
 
GAME 2
- Tech loaded the bases in the top of the first but couldn't score
- The Warriors stranded two more in the third
- Neither offense did anything until the fifth when Zach Fyfe doubled to left field, scoring Tyler Denniston who led off the inning with a triple
- In the bottom of the frame, a leadoff walk came around to score for the home team to tie the score
- The Orange and Black loaded the bases again in the sixth with one out but didn't get the hit they needed
- Tech stranded a runner on third in the sixth and Portes kept the game tied, robbing Madonna of a walk-off home run in the seventh, climbing the wall and making a snow cone catch to bring the ball back
- The game ended in the eighth as Madonna tallied three hits and walked off in extra innings
- Tech left 10 runners on base while MU stranded four
 
HIGHLIGHTS:
GAME 1
- Nunn tallied two of the Warriors seven hits
- Portes had three RBIs, going 1-for-3 with four other Warriors recording a half
- Gaynor scored two of Tech's five runs
- Chase Keathley got the start and allowed five runs, four earned, on three hits, walking seven and striking out two over six innings
- Jason Sterrett (1-2) took the loss allowing a run on three hits with a strikeout in 2.1 innings
 
GAME 2
- Portes, Denniston and Fyfe each had two hits, with the latter finishing 2-for-2
- Four Warriors, Kyle Mead, Portes, Gaynor and Matt Bandor, stole a base
- McReynolds (2-2) allowed just two runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 7.1 innings
 
UP NEXT: The Warriors return to action on Tuesday, Apr.7 when they travel across town to face NCAA I IPFW at Mastodon Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE: Live stats will be available at www.sidearmstats.com/ipfw/baseball/
 
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Baseball Contact: Zachary Shore | 260.422.5561 x. 2492 | zrshore@indianatech.edu
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