Florence, Kentucky—On Friday, April 15 the Mount St. Joseph University Baseball program hosted the Yellow-Jackets of Defiance College. This Heartland Conference double header saw two teams neck and neck in the HCAC standings.
Game One: MSJ 13 DC 6
In the first game of the afternoon, the Lions plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. Centerfielder Ryan Murray drove a triple into right field and a Joshua Hagans sacrifice fly allowed Murray to advance from third. Another scoreless half-inning by starting pitcher, Jacob Hughes allowed the Lions to push their lead to 3-0. Matt Brankamp drove the ball well up the middle to drive in two runs.
Defiance plated one run in the top of third, before the Lions responded with one run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. This run was produced by Max Kline, who hit a two out single up the middle of the infield, driving in Tyrell Anderson. The game would remain at a 4-1 score, until the bottom of the fifth, when Anderson scored a second time, via a wild pitch.
In the top of the sixth, the Yellow-Jackets made a dent in the Lions lead, plating two runs. In the Lions half of the sixth, the Mount closed the door on any hopes of a Defiance comeback, as Anderson came to the plate with two-outs and the bases loaded. Anderson connected with a pitch that got driven into deep left field for a grand slam. The power hitting of the Lions continued in the bottom of the seventh, when Murray drove a ball into right-center field that cleared the fence for a two run home run. Now leading 13-3, Defiance went on to plate three more runs before the Lion earned their 10 win of the season.
In game one, the Lions received a brilliant pitching effort by Hughes. The Senior scattered nine hits over eight innings of work, fanning seven batters on his way to his second win of the season. Hughes received support from fellow classmates Anderson and Murray. Anderson led the Lions with four hits in five at-bats including a double and a grand-slam, finishing with four RBI and three runs scored. Murray collected three hits in four at-bats with a triple and home run while driving in two runs. Freshman Andrew Harrison returned to his early season form collecting three hits and three RBI.
Game Two: MSJ 13 DC 6
The Yellow Jackets pushed one run across in the top of the first, before the hot hitting of the Lions claimed the lead. With two outs and two men in scoring position, Harrison took one up the middle for two RBI and a 2-1 lead. In the visitors half of the second, the Yellow Jackets knotted the game at 2-2.
The Lions would jump ahead again in the bottom of the second when Jake Lawson drove his second single of the game, driving in Max Kline from second. Fast-forward to the top of the fourth, Defiance pushed the tying run across the plate on a bouncing single into left field, going past the out-stretched glove of shortstop Jake Sanders.
With the game knotted at 3-3, the Lions took the lead back. In the leadoff role, Anton Mere singled with a well placed bunt down the third base line and stealing second. Mere was moved to third with a sacrifice bunt by Lawson and came around to score on a sharp hit ball through the left side of the infield by Joshua Hagans.
As the back and forth effort by both clubs continued, Defiance drove a solo home run, once again tying the ball game. In the bottom of the sixth, Anderson once again went yard, in grand slam fashion for the second time of the day. This effort by Anderson pushed the Lions ahead 8-4. Again in the bottom of the seventh, the Lions would add an insurance run when Mere hit an RBI single into shallow right field pushing Kline across the plate. This run was quickly erased by the Yellow-Jackets as they added two runs in the top of the eighth.
However, bottom of the eighth inning Hagans drove an RBI double into deep left field to return the Lions lead back to four. Catcher Tyler Herbers came to the plate later in the inning with two on and one out, smashing a double to the right field wall that score the pair of runners. The rally would continue when Kline collected his second hit of the ball game to push the Lions ahead 13-6.
For the Lions, Anderson once again turned in a phenomenal performance collecting one home run and four RBI. Herbers collected three hits in five at-bats and a pair of RBI. The duo of Hagans and Harrison each registered two hits and two RBI.
The Lions will now enjoy the Holiday Weekend-off, returning to action against HCAC Power Franklin College. This double header will take place on April, 23 at Franklin College with first pitch scheduled for 12PM. For continued coverage of this upcoming game and all other MSJ Athletics, continue to follow msjlions.com
