Errors doom Chargers in trip opener, drop pair to Schoolcraft
ORLANDO, FL — The Marian University Ancilla Baseball team is spending its Spring Break in and around Orlando, Florida, participating once again in the RussMatt Invitational. On Sunday afternoon, the Chargers took the field against MCCAA Eastern Division foe Jackson College. Despite collecting five hits and five walks in just seven innings, the Chargers were hindered by four fielding errors, allowing Jackson to extend innings, with the Jets ultimately winning, 12-2.
Jackson picked up three runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning, plus three more in the bottom of the 5th inning, each time with two outs, allowing the Jets to get out in front, 6-0. In the top of the 6th, Marian Ancilla’s Aayden Antoine, a freshman, roped a hard ground ball double into right field, scoring freshman Tanner Coble and trimming the lead to 6-1.
However, Jackson responded with 5 more runs in the bottom of the 6th, making it 11-1. In the top of the 7th, Sophomore Blaze Schultz scored on a steal of home plate with 2 outs, and it was 11-2, Jets. But Jackson got one more run with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th, earning the 10-run rule victory.
Redshirt Freshman Aiden Diaz pitched 4 2/3 solid innings for the Chargers in his start, striking out eight batters and only walking 1. While he allowed six runs, none of them were earned runs. Freshman Nikolas Rios (0-1) picked up the decision on the hill in relief.
The Marian University Ancilla Baseball team continued their Spring Break trip in Florida Monday with a doubleheader against MCCAA Eastern Division foe Schoolcraft. The Chargers had a tough day, falling in Game 1, 26-3 (5 innings), and in Game 2, 7-3 (7 innings).
GAME-1 (Schoolcraft 26, Marian-Ancilla 3):
Freshman outfielder Isaak Osborne drove in the first two runs for the Chargers, plating both Jaxson Hixson and Nikolas Rios on a fly ball single to right field in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Freshman first baseman Wes McNeff followed suit later that inning with a single of his own, scoring Jose Paris. Sophomore outfielder John Morgan, leading off for the first time this season, was 2-2 from the plate with a pair of singles, plus he drew a walk, and he stole three bases. Sophomore Blaze Schultz (0-2) was credited with the loss on the mound.
GAME-2 (Schoolcraft 7, Marian-Ancilla 3):
The Chargers found themselves down 3-0 after the 1st inning, then 5-0 through 4, but they continued to battle, putting up two runs in the 5th inning and 1 in the 7th.
In that 5th inning, it all started with a hit batsman; then a pair of walks followed. After a strikeout, Blaze Schultz was then hit by a pitch, allowing Isaak Osborne to score. Two pitches later, freshman Jackson Hobbs grounded out to short, but sophomore Traevyn Shoaf was able to score from third base.
In the top of the 7th inning, Shoaf led off with a triple to right field, then John Morgan grounded out to second base, but Shoaf was able to cross home plate again for the team’s third, and final, run of the game. Freshman Evan Lanphier (0-2) picked up the loss in the second game after five solid innings of work. He struck out seven over that stretch.
The Baseball team gets a much-needed day off Tuesday before they head back out to the diamond on Wednesday for another doubleheader. They are set to take on Bryant & Stratton College from Wisconsin in Davenport, Florida, with game times set for 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
