Josh Pettit’s bat and Jake Glover’s arm led the Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team to a season-opening sweep on Friday, Feb. 26, in Westfield, Indiana.
Pettit drove in three runs, including two during a five-run seventh inning, to lead the Cougars to an 8-5 win over Brescia in the first game.
Jake Glover tossed five shutout innings, allowing three hits and three walks to lead MVNU to a 4-2 win over Concordia in the second game.
The Cougars added a third win to their young season, defeating Concordia 4-2 in the home opener on Monday, March 1.
In the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, Pettit’s big hit came on a two-run triple that evened the score at 5-5. The next batter, Cameron Miller, drove Pettit home for the lead.
Pettit reached base three times on a hit and two walks. Toby Walker had two hits and a run, and Aaron Saal added a hit and a walk and scored twice for MVNU.
Noah Gleason tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win. He allowed a hit and two walks for the Cougars (2-0).
John Benevolent drove in four runs on two hits to lead the Bearcats (0-3). Wyatt Griskey was saddled with the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk in relief.
Jake Glover struck out five batters and allowed just three hits and three walks over the front five innings as MVNU built a 4-0 lead over Concordia in the second game.
Devin Pearl had two hits; and Glover, Casey Kalman and Andrew Miller each drove in a run.
Calvin Syrjala drove in two runs on two hits to lead the Cardinals (1-2).
Grant Steinborn tossed five innings and allowed four runs — two of them earned — on five hits and a walk with one strikeout to take the loss for Concordia.
Saal’s two-run double in the seventh inning ended up being the difference in the Cougars’ win over Concordia on Monday. He had two hits and drove in three runs, and Miller scored twice to pace MVNU on offense.
Pettit allowed one hit and struck out eight batters in five scoreless innings on the mound for the Cougars. But he didn’t factor into the decision, as a Joe Jones two-run homer in the sixth inning tied the score.
Luke Tucker ended up getting the win in relief. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and three walks over two innings.
Jones finished with two hits on the day, and Joe Tany took the loss after surrendering two earned runs on two hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts over two innings of relief for the Cardinals.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Alexa Skal’s goal in the first half gave MVNU all the offense it needed. But the Cougars tacked on three more in the second half and rolled to a 4-0 win at Concodia in non-conference play on Saturday, Feb. 27, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Brookelyn Sommelroth found Skal for the go-ahead goal in the 31st minute.
Skal narrowly had a second goal when her shot ended up deflecting off a defender in the 47th minute. The goal was credited as a team goal, however.
Caitlin Erlandson and Claire Rothert each scored insurance goals, Sarah Townsend added an assist, and Lily Jakuszewski and Emily DePolo each stopped four shots in goal for the Cougars (8-6-2).
Hayley Jacobson had eight saves and Anna Roman had two saves in net for the Cardinals (3-3).
MEN’S LACROSSE
Blake Blaisdell scored the first two goals of the game and Concordia led the entire way in a 21-3 win over MVNU on Saturday, Feb. 27, in Mount Vernon.
Blaisdell and Hunter McCarty scored six goals apiece, and Blaisdell added four assists to lead the Cardinals (1-0). Collin Webb had five ground balls, Reggie Thompson had four assists and Sam Bowling had 17 saves for Concordia.
Ian Ranck, Jaron Summers and Ryan Hess accounted for the MVNU scoring. Ranck and Brett Townsend each had an assist, Cullen Smith had two ground balls and Ryan Hensley had 12 saves in goal for the Cougars (1-2).
