VERONA, Wis. – Edgewood College scored a season-high 18 runs to salvage a split in their non-conference doubleheader with Illinois Tech. The Eagles took advantage of eight Scarlet Hawks errors in an 18-5 victory after dropping a 3-1 decision in the opener.
Edgewood College (17-11) scored three unearned runs in the first when Danny Appino scored on a wild pitch and Jonathan Roehler and Nick Lehner came home when Illinois Tech (11-20) threw away Jeff Tucker's ground ball. Callen Gavic added an RBI ground out in the second. Lehner smacked a two-run double as part of a four-run fourth to give the Eagles an 8-0 lead.
Eagles starting pitcher Mason Maziarka gave up three hits and no runs through the first four innings, before running into trouble in the top of the fifth. The Scarlet Hawks scored four runs on one hit to cut the Eagles' lead in half. However, Tim Nunn, Bryan Sternig and Appino all drove in runs in the fifth for a 12-4 lead. Things really got out of hand as Edgewood College added six more runs in the sixth inning. Roehler had a two-run triple and Patrick Wardlaw added a pinch-hit RBI double.
Maziarka earned the win going 4.1 innings and allowing four runs of four hits. Steve Gavin and Mitch Egan came on in relief. Appino finished the game with three hits, including a double and a stolen base. Roehler went 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs batted in and two stolen bases. Gavic also went 2-for-3.
In the opening game, the Eagles struggled to solve Illinois Tech starting pitcher Kyle Bumpass. Edgewood College never put a leadoff runner on base as Bumpass scattered eight Eagle hits. The Eagles only run came in the third on an Appino RBI single that scored Sternig from second base.
Sternig had three of the Eagles' eight hits, while Appino had the lone RBI. Jeff Tucker had a sixth-inning double. On the mound Rory Mulvihill took the loss, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing one earned run. Alex Meister and Jared Horton completed the game for the Eagles.
Edgewood College returns to NACC play Sunday afternoon against Marian University. The Eagles are in fifth place in the NACC with eight league games to play. The top six teams advance to the NACC Tournament.
