Box Scores - Game 1, Game 2

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – Freshmen lead the way for the Marian University baseball team in a doubleheader sweep over visiting Maranatha Baptist Bible College, winning by scores of 15-5 and 8-2 in Northern Athletics Conference action at Herr-Baker Field this evening, April 13.

Freshmen Bryce Taylor and Brett Barger picked up their first career victories on the mound for the Sabres in game one and game two, respectively, while freshmen Ryan Blise and Casey Schreiner collected Marian's first home runs of the year.

The Sabres snap their three-game losing streak and improve to 13-9 overall, 6-4 in the NAC. They extended their winning streak over the Crusaders to 58 straight games. Meanwhile, Maranatha falls to 1-19 (0-10 NAC).

Blise's home run was in essence a walk-off shot as it ended game one due to the 10-run rule after seventh innings. It was the first homer for a Marian batter this year. He finished 3-for-3 on the day with two runs scored and a double. Matt Bromley, Casey Schreiner and Josh Gruenke each finished with three hits as well.

Senior Jace Unrein went 3-for-3 in game one and finished the day 5-for-7 overall with a double, an RBI and three runs scored.
In game one, Maranatha took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Tim Shelp sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Jason Garrison, who reached on an infield single to start the game.

MBBC starting pitcher, Tim Shelp, retired the first five hitters he faced, but after that the Sabres caught on and put together an eight-run, two-out rally in the bottom of the second inning. Jace Unrein started extended the inning with a single to right field, going away from the left-handed shift by the defense.

The next five batters then reached on either a walk or hit by pitch and all of the sudden the score was 3-1. Garrett Dorn then drove in a pair to make it 5-1 before John Cetnar and Unrein added an RBI single each before the inning was said-and-done.

In the Sabre third, Josh Gruenke added a two-run single to make it 10-1. Marian added three more in the fourth on RBI singles from Gruenke and Kent Lentz, with an Anthony Porcaro sacrifice fly thrown in.

Leading 13-1, the Crusaders scored four times in the fifth, sixth and seventh, combined, to make it 14-5 and extend the game into the eighth inning. That set the stage for Blise in the eighth when he connected on the solo shot to left to end the game due to the 10-run rule.

Taylor went five innings and allowed just two runs (1 earned) on seven hits to pick up his first career win. Jason Fachie and Austin Massey came in to finish the job.

In game two, Barger took the mound and carried the momentum through with a stellar performance, going seven innings and allowing just two runs on five hits, while striking out five and walking three.

The Sabres took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a Matt Schroeder RBI double and a Schreiner sacrifice fly. Maranatha made a game of it, however, scoring twice in the fourth to tie the game.

But a three-run bottom of the fourth for the Sabres broke it open, highlighted by Schreiner's two-run homer to left field.
Leading 8-2 after the seventh, Adam Gannon came on to throw to scoreless innings to close out the contest.

The Sabres will be back in action tomorrow, April 14, taking on Edgewood College in Madison. First pitch is slated for Noon.