FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Warrior baseball team returned to the diamond on Saturday afternoon as they welcomed Madonna University to Fort Wayne for a WHAC doubleheader. In what would be a contest that came down to the final out, the Warriors fell in game one 6-5. In game two, the Orange and Black came out on top 6-2 to split the series.
 
In game one, it didn't take long for the two squads to get on the scoreboard as the Crusaders held a 3-2 lead after the opening inning. After two scoreless innings, the visitors added a run to their tally, doubling their lead. In the fifth, the Crusaders plated one more run, but the Warriors' offense came to life, scoring three runs to level the score at five. After a scoreless sixth, it came down to the final inning to decide the game. In the top half of the inning, the Crusaders drove in one run to take the lead. In the bottom half, the Warriors came up short, going three up three down to close the game. Brycen Hannah and Ben Morrison led the side with two hits while Garrett Rainey led the team with two RBIs.
 
In the night cap, again, the two sides put up runs in the first inning, this time Tech led 3-1 after the first, led by a two-run homer from Brycen Hannah. After the outburst of offense in the first, a pitchers' battle began in the second as the following six innings were scoreless from both squads. In the eighth, Tech added three insurance runs to their tally to take a 6-1 lead. A solo home run from the Crusaders in the ninth put one run on the board, but that was all the offense the visitors could muster as Danny May shut the door to earn the save. Brycen Hannah and Alex Watkins led the side with two RBIs each. Coley Stevens earned the win on the mound, throwing five innings, during which he gave up one run on two hits and struck out six of the 17 batters he faced.
 
With the doubleheader split, the Warriors move to 23-12 on the season and 14-4 in the WHAC. Tech hits the road on Sunday for a trip to Adrian, Michigan, as they look to round out their action-packed weekend with a doubleheader at Siena Heights.