Austin Pressly (29) got the victory in Game 2 with 6 IP. Photo by Lauren Jones.
BOX SCORE 1, BOX SCORE 2
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- In a matchup of two NAIA Baseball Top 25 teams, No. 6 Point Park University won one of two games over No. 24 Madonna (Mich.) University at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Monday. Madonna (6-4) won the first game, 3-2, with a couple of unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh, and Point Park (4-4) came away with a 5-1 victory in the night cap.
Point Park did not have much offense in Game 1 but was still up, 2-1, entering the bottom of the seventh. The Crusaders put together what turned into a game-winning rally, albeit with some help from the Point Park defense.
Working against Pioneers closer Michael Cetta, Madonna loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh via a base hit through the right side, a walk and a bunt that did not produce an out. Cetta did his part to get out of the jam with a strikeout, a fly ball and a ground ball, but the latter two plays went for errors as the Crusaders tied it up at 2-2 and then got the winning run in its last at bat.
Manny Perdomo was the Point Park starter, and he got a no-decision in 5.1 innings. He struck out five and walked two on five hits before turning a 2-1 lead over Cetta, who had been perfect in two save chances on the year.
The Point Park offense was kept quiet by winning pitcher Jeremy Gooding, a senior right-hander, who struck out 10 and allowed only four hits in seven innings. The All-WHAC pithcer walked only one, and it was his second win over a Top-10 team this year. He beat No. 3 Lee (Tenn.), 4-3, on Feb. 9.
The Pioneers did their best to make the most of their hits as Marlon Leyva had an RBI double for a 1-0 lead in the fourth, and Javy Marticorena added an RBI single for the go-ahead run in the sixth. The only run given up by Perdomo came in the fourth when Brad Lindberry tripled and scored on Spence Sarel's groudout.
The second game was also close, but this time the Pioneers came up with some key hits in support of winning pitcher Austin Pressly (2-0), who went six-plus innings. Lead-off man Don McDuffee was 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI, and Jordan Crowell was 2 for 3 with an RBI in his first start at third base.
McDuffee, a senior right-fielder from Champaign, Ill., stroked an RBI single in the third, and another run came home later that inning on an error for a 2-1 lead. Point Park stretched out the lead to 5-1 with its three-run fifth inning. Marticorena ripped an RBI double, and two batters later, Crowell knocked him in with a base hit.
Pressly, a senior right-hander who transferred this year from West Virginia University, scattered six hits over his six innings and gave up one run. He totaled five strikeouts and two walks. Isaiah Marsh worked a scoreless seventh inning in a non-save situation.
Point Park continues play on Day 3 of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitation on Tuesday vs. Evangel (Mo.). The doubleheader begins at 9 a.m.
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