MSJ Baseball Defeats Illinois Tech 6-3

AUBURNDALE, Florida - The Mount St. Joseph baseball team defeated Illinois Tech 6-3, their third win in four games in the RussMatt Invitational. The Lions got solid pitching, timely hitting and even excecuted a pair of suicide squeeze plays to get the win.

MSJ 6 - Illinois Tech 3 | WP: E. Mason (2-1) ; LP: N. Carillo (0-1) ; S: E. Webb (2-0)

The Lions opened their fourth game of the teams trip to Florida with freshman Ethan Mason taking the hill. The freshman put together a solid outing going 5.0 innings, giving up seven hits and two earned runs with one strikeout. 

Offensively the Lions were unable to get much going over the first five innings, as the Illinois Tech starting pitcher kept them off the scoreboard. The team trailed 2-0 heading into the sixth inning, but thats when they finally got on track offensively. 

Ryan Murray led off the sixth with a double to deep right center, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Murray scored on an infield single by Carter Owen. An out later Jackson Gutzwiller singled to right center field, advancing Owen to third. Matt Brankamp would then tie the game with a sacrifice fly into deep center, scoring Owen. 

In the bottom of the sixth Mason handed the pitching duties over to Kaiden Morris. He quickly retired Illinois Tech in the bottom of the sixth. Morris earned the win in relief, his first win in an MSJ uniform.

The Lions would score another pair in the top of the 7th inning. Kevin Schaaf singled into left field to open the inning, Anton Mere then doubled down the left field line advancing Schaaf to third. Jake Lawson then lifted a sacrifice fly into right field, scoring Schaaf and moving Mere to third. After Ryan Murray was intentionally walked, Carter Owen laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt scoring Mere. Owen beat out the play by the pitcher to single on the bunt. 

Illinois Tech would threaten in the bottom of the 7th as Morris walked a pair. Mount St. Joseph pitching coach Chris Dooros then made a move to the bullpen and called on Evan Webb. Webb worked his way out of the 7th allowing one of the runners he inherited to score. 

Leading by only one run, the Lions would add a single run in both the 8th and 9th innings. In the 8th Schaaf singled, eventually scoring on a double to left center by Lawson. In the 9th, Patrick Murray hit a one out double to left center, Jackson Gutzwiller then singled. With runners on the corners and one-out they turned again to the suicide squeeze. This time it was Brankamp who perfectly executed the play, pushing the Lions lead to 6-3.

Webb was absolutely fantastic, pitching the final 2.2 innings allowing only a single hit earning the save.

UP NEXT: 
The Lions will have an off day tomorrow, before playing Lakeland University in a double-header on Friday. The games are scheduled to get underway at 2:45 pm.