By Jordan Smith
PointParkSports.com

BUTLER, Pa. -- (RV) Point Park University baseball won two games versus visiting Lourdes (Ohio) University on Wednesday, April 20 to improve to 29-9 on the season. The Pioneers won the games, 2-1 and 3-1, at Pullman Park. Lourdes is now 23-17 after the doubleheader.

POINT PARK 2, LOURDES 1

Point Park got all the offense it needed in the bottom of the first of Game 1. Then the Pioneers had pitchers Javier Cardoso, Ramon Medina and Leo Diaz combine on a four-hitter and just one run allowed.

Luis Hernandez led off the Point Park first with a hit by pitch. He then stole second and third with aggressive base running. Jared Campbell followed up with a walk off on a full count. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.

With two outs, the Pioneers kept up the offense as they have all season, making that third out the hardest. It was Ty Andrews who smacked a single out to left field bringining home Campbell. That ended up being the game-winning run.

In the top of the second, Lourdes got its only run on a run off a sac fly to center field off the bat of Harrison Jackson.

Javier Cardoso welcomed his first start in a Point Park uniform. His 3.1 innings pitched, teamed up with Ramon Medina's 2.2 innings, and Leo Diaz's 1.0 inning close to secure the win.

Cardoso tallied five strikeouts and gave up just one run on three hits. The bullpen of Medina and Diaz only gave up one hit and shutout the Gray Wolves the second half of the game.

Medina got the win in his relief outing giving up just one hit and no runs while striking out two and walking none. Diaz picked up his sixth save of the season working a scoreless seventh to protect the lead.

POINT PARK 3, LOURDES 1

Similar to the first game, Point Park struck first, but this time in the second inning. Carlos Sanchez and Isaac Santana led off the second with great plate discipline to draw a couple of walks.

Luis Hernandez came next with the RBI opportunity, and he took advantage. His double to deep left field brought in Sanchez, and Santana got to third base. Jared Campbell followed with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.

The home team wasn't finished yet, as Gianmarco Marcelletti stroked an RBI infield single, bringing home Hernandez to make the score 3-0.

In the top of the third, Steve Haugh hit a home run to left field for Lourdes. That was be the only run given up by Point Park starter Kenneth Rolon, who pitched the first 5.0 innings to get the win. The Gray Wolves had trouble figuring him out as Rolon only allowed two hits and fanned seven batters.

Point Park reliever Jose Moreno came in for the last two innings. He struck out out two and earned his first save of the season. Moreno did not allow a run or a walk in his outing.

That closed out a good day for the Point Park pitching staff, which had six pitchers combine to allow just eight hits and two runs in 14.0 innings total on the day.

NEXT UP

The Pioneers have six conference games left in the regular season and eight games left overall. They will host the University of Rio Grande (21-28, 8-10 RSC) at Point Park Field at Green Tree Park on Friday-Saturday, April 23-24. After a midweek matchup with Siena Heights (Mich.) scheduled for April 26, the Pioneers finish up the RSC schedule April 29-30 at IU Kokomo.