CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Mount St. Joseph baseball team hosted the Manchester Spartans on Sunday in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conferenc double-header. The two teams split a pair of tight games, with Manchester winning game one 5-4, before the Lions bounced back to take game two 3-2.
Game One
Manchester got the scoring started with a run in the top of the second inning, but the Lions answered back immediately with two in the bottom of the inning.
Zac Clow drilled a two run double to left center to give the Mount a 2-1 advantage.
In the middle innings the Spartans were able to score four combined runs in the fifth and sixth inning to take a 5-2 lead. In the seventh
Jordan Harley and
Ethan Mason each had RBI base-hits to make the score 5-4.
On the Mound the Lions used only two pitchers, and both were effective.
Sam Huston started and went the front five innings, scattering six hits and six walks only allowing four runs.
Carson Taulbee finished the job, throwing the final four innings allowing five hits while striking out three.
Trailing by one in the bottom of the ninth inning the Lions first two batters reached base,
Will Record was hit-by-pitch and Harley got a bunt single. An out later
Ethan Mason lined out to second base with the runners in motion and Harley was doubled off to end the threat and the game.
Game Two
In game two of the double-header the Lions sent
Josh Isaacs to the mound to start the game, the junior right-hander picked a great day to have his best start of the season. He went the front 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits and two earned runs while striking out five.
The Lions got the scoring started in the bottom of the first, Mason singled into left scoring Harley to put the Lions ahead 1-0. In the sixth inning
Austin Buckle led off with an infield single, Mason followed with a walk to get it started. After a fielder's choice from
Sean Moore moved Buckle to third,
Kaden Snodgrass executed a perfect safety squeeze to put the Lions ahead 2-0.
With one out in the seventh, two Spartans reached and Issacs gave way to
Daniel Brayton. Manchester would score two to tie the game but Brayton got a huge full-count strikeout to strand the bases loaded and give the Mount a chance.
The game was not tied long as the Lions scored one in the bottom of the inning to take the lead right back. Record hit a one-out single and Harley reached on a fielder's choice, on the play Manchester made an error allowing Record be safe at second. Buckle then gave the Lions the 3-2 lead with an RBI single into left field.
Brayton would throw a clean eighth inning, but it got dicey for the Lions in the ninth. Brayton got the first two outs surrounded by a walk, before another walk put the go-ahead run on base. The Lions then turned the ball over to
Matt Frye, who would walk the first batter he faced to load the bases before getting a flyout to end the game. Brayton earned the win, his second of the season and Frye picked up his third save.
Up Next
The Lions have a midweek game at Asbury College on Tuesday before a big HCAC weekend series with the Transylvania Pioneers who are a half game out of first place in the HCAC standings.
