BOSTON – Point Park University baseball topped College of St. Joseph (Vt.), 1-0, on Friday, the second game of a split doubleheader at Fisher (Mass.) College. The Pioneers (24-8, 16-4 RSC) started the day with a 9-7 loss to host Fisher, an NAIA member in Boston.

Nick Beardsley (3-0) spun a two-hitter, and Stefan Mrkonja cranked a solo homer in the bottom of the first to lift the Pioneers to victory over the College of St. Joseph (10-17).

Beardsley tossed a shutout for the second outing in a row and lowered his sub-1.00 ERA even further. The Torrance, Calif., native did not allow a runner past second base, totaled five strikeouts and three walks.

Mrkonja, Point Park's lead-off hitter, hit the first pitch he saw for his seventh homer and the only run of the game. The Pioneers totaled seven hits, and those came from seven different players.

CSJ's Nick Burch (3-2) went the distance after entering the game with an ERA of 3.00.

Point Park had an early lead of 3-0 in its first game of the day versus Fisher (20-14). But the lead went away in the middle innings, and the Pioneers' late comeback for four runs in the top of the seventh came up two runs short.

Chris Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the third inning of Friday's opener for the 3-0 lead. He totaled three RBIs in the game, including a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Mrkonja, who was 2 for 3 with a walk and three runs, had doubled to leadoff of the game and moved to third on a fly ball with one out.

Nolan Krivijanski (5-2) faced just one batter over the minimum the first three innings, and the Pioneers' opening starter retired 10 of the first 11 he faced. But Fisher hit a couple of homers in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead and saddle Krivijanski with the loss. He struck out eight, walked three and was the first of three Point Park pitchers who combined to give up nine runs, six of which were earned.

Point Park out-hit Fisher, 11-8, with Mrkonja, Richard Perez and Emmanuel Lopez picking up two hits each. Lopez was 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Perez was 2 for 4 as well.

Fisher's Zach LeBlanc (5-1) got the victory after pitching the first six innings. He entered the game with a 1.78 ERA.

Point Park will play the same two teams on Saturday, its final day in Boston. The Pioneers face Fisher at 10 a.m. and College of St. Joseph at 1 p.m. Follow the Pioneers on Social Media @PointParkSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. F