FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Marian University baseball (7-12, 0-6 NACC) struggled defensively dropping a doubleheader to Benedictine at home with final scores of 4-2 and 11-3.

Benedictine scratched a pair of runs across in the top of the first to open the game followed by a Cody Schaefer RBI groundout in the bottom of the second, but from there the game was a pitching duel.  From innings three to six, the two teams would only combine for six hits with no half inning having multiple hits. 

A two-run homerun for the Eagles in the top of the eighth provided Benedictine a 4-1 cushion, but the Sabres would answer in the bottom half of the inning.  Tony Grannis and Adam Ryan each reached to start off the inning before Mitchel Buss found a hole in the left side to bring in Grannis.  The Sabres continued to pressure offensively but were unable to plate any more runs in the inning as Benedictine went on to close out the game with a 4-2 final.

Kellen Shea took the tough luck loss going 6.0 innings scattering five hits only allowing a pair of runs with two strikeouts.

Buss was the only Sabre with a multi-hit game going 2-3 with a run scored and a run batted in.

The Eagles got out to a fast start once again in game two scoring two runs in the first inning and adding another in the second before the Marian offense went to work.

Marian opened the inning with walks from Schuyler Rath and Matt Nordlund with Tyler Thompson barreling a ball through the left side to load the bases.  Jake Falish would ground into a double play scoring Rath before an RBI single from Ryan and an RBI double from Grannis knotted the game at 3-3.

The Eagles answered with three runs in the next half inning and their pitching held the Sabres scoreless the remainder of the game as they cruised to an 11-3 final.

Sam Long looked good in the final two innings of the game on the mound for the Sabres only allowing two hits, two unearned runs, and striking out a pair.

The Sabres look to bounce back with a NACC doubleheader tomorrow, Wednesday, April 13, against Rockford with a 2 p.m. first pitch.

--FightBlueFight--