Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 TUCSON, Ariz. - For the second day in a row the Marian University baseball team (2-2, 0-0 NACC) split a pair of games in Tucson, Arizona.
In the opener the Sabres got the bats going early in a 9-5 win over Newbury College (MA).
Marian put three on the board in the bottom half of the 1st frame as senior Tommy Dugandzic doubled into the left field gap to plate sophomore Jake Falish and fellow senior Cole Miklacic. Senior Tyler Thompson then banged a single to left that scored Dugandzic to push the lead to 3-0.
Newbury got to Sabre starter sophomore Brady Nehring for a single run in the second to make it 3-1.
Marian popped for two more of their own in the third as sophomore Matt Nordlund rapped a single to center to score Miklavcic and Dugandzic to push the lead to 5-1.
Newbury closed the gap to 5-3 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth but again the Sabres countered in the bottom half of the frame. Freshman Tommy Miller walked and promptly stole second and third. He scored shortly after on a Falish double. He was sent home when Miklavcic pounded his second single of the game to center to increase the Sabre lead to 7-3.
Newbury cleared two more runs in the sixth before Marian added a pair of insurance runs in the as Dugandzic doubled home Miklavcic. Dugandzic scored the final run of the game on a Travis Slywka single three batters later.
Nehring (1-0) picked up the win, giving up five earned runs and seven hits in 5.2 innings of work. Freshman Tim Dziergas earned his first career save by giving up just 2 hits in 3.1 innings.
Dugandzic finished game one 3-4 with 2 doubles, 3 runs and 3 RBI.
In game two on Saturday, Salem State (MN) scored one in the 9th to edge the Sabres 5-4.
Salem State was able to get on the board first pushing across a pair of runs in the opening inning.
Marian pulled even at 2-2 as Miklavcic and Nordland drove in runs the bottom of the third.
After Salem State scored a pair in the top of the fifth, Marian evened it again at 4-4 as Dugandzic blasted a two run shot over the left field wall.
It stayed that way until the top of the ninth as Andrew Deloury drew a leadoff walk from sophomore Blake Dillavou. He moved to third on a double Brendan Greene. Teghan Malionek knocked home the game-winner with a sac fly to right off of Conner Nelson.
Dillavou (0-1) took the loss for Marian in relief of sophomore Jordan Bock.
Marian continues the Tucson Invitational Sunday, March 12 when they face off with Macalester at 8:30 p.m. (CDT).
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