Florence, Kentucky—The Mount St. Joseph University Baseball program, hosted the Quakers of Earlham College in Heartland Conference Action. This double header would take place on Saturday, April 2. Despite the Lions best efforts they would fall short in both games to one of the top teams in the conference.
Game One: EC 7 MSJ 4
The first three innings of game one went quickly, as neither club could push a score across. Earlham earned their first score in the top of the fourth, plating two and three more in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth it was the Lions turn to get the zero off the scoreboard. A dropped third strike that turned into a passed ball allowed Austin Price and Caleb Partin to cross the plate.
Both teams, added two each in the seventh. Ryan Murray drove in Austin Price for the first score on the inning on an RBI single. Joshua Hagans followed the effort later in the inning, sneaking a hit into left field that scored Murray. This was the final scoring for both teams, as the game finished 7-4.
The pair of Hagans and Murray would tally the Mount's only RBIs of the game. Murray accomplished this on a two for four day at the plate. Jacob Hughes started the game for the Lions, going six and two-thirds innings of work and striking out seven batters.
Game Two: EC 12 MSJ 8
In the back half of the afternoon, the Quakers jumped ahead quickly. A six run top of the sixth saw the Lions fall behind 7-0. Earlham added another run in the top of the third. Finally, trailing by eight, an RBI double by Jake Lawson gave the Mount their first run of the game. This would be followed by a four run top of the fifth for Earlham. In the bottom of the fifth, Price would connect on his first collegiate home run that score two.
A last ditch effort, in which the Lions added five runs in the bottom of the seventh, kept hope alive for the home crowd. Tyler Herbers would start the rally with and RBI single, scoring both Murray and Hagans. Max Kline, Zach McKenna and Carter Owen would individually collect RBI singles to round out the inning. This would round out the scoring for the entire game as well, leaving the Lions on the losing end of the game 12-8.
Tyler Herbers had a fantastic game, going three for five at the plate with two RBIs. Kline also collected three hits and one RBI. Price would collect two hits, including a home run and two RBIs.
The Lions will return to action on Tuesday, April 5 when they host the Pioneers of Trasnlyvania University. Game one of this weekday double header will begin at 5PM at Marge Schott Stadium on the campus of UC. For continued coverage of this upcoming game and all other MSJ Athletics, continue to follow msjlions.com
