TUCSON, Ariz. – The University of Mary baseball team found itself on the wrong side of a heartbreaker and a slugfest on the Marauders third day competing at the Tucson Invitational. U-Mary was nudged 5-4 by Malone University to start the day before Grace College outlasted the Marauders 23-10.
 
GAME 1: Malone 5 U-Mary 4
For the second straight game, the University of Mary spent the early inning building a lead, only to see the advantage slip away. The Marauders scored single runs in four different innings and held a two-run lead before miscues opened the door for the Pioneers.
 
Each of the top three Marauders in the lineup scored runs in the game. Leadoff hitter Andrew Beyer singled to open the contest and scored on a Malone error. Down one in the fourth, three-hole hitter and catcher Sean Hennen led off with a walk and scored on a single by Cory Dixon.
 
The Marauders second hitter in the lineup, Seth Meide, reached on a fielder's choice and scored an unearned run in the fifth to put the Marauders in front 3-2. U-Mary doubled its lead with another run in the sixth. Following a walk to Dixon, the Marauders hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with no outs. A Trenten Hove groundout to first scored Dixon but U-Mary couldn't add to its 4-2 lead.
 
Rolling through the first five innings was lefty Michael Vollrath, who was touched for just four hits and two runs. The sixth proved a little more problematic for the senior lefthander. In Vollrath's final inning of work, the Pioneers parlayed two hits, a walk and three errors into two unearned runs to knot the game at 4-4.
 
With Vollrath out of the game, Malone struck quickly to take the lead. Keanan Locke led off with a double. One out later he scored the winning run on a Hayden Mobley single.
 
The Marauders made a run in the eighth before stranding both Hove and Beyer in scoring position. U-Mary also had a two-out single in the ninth but never could find a way to score.
 
In a six inning start, Vollrath allowed just two earned runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out two.
 
Beyer finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and Hennen went 2-for-4 and a run scored,
 
Locke was 2-for-4 for Malone, scoring twice in the game. Mobley drove in two runs on one hit.
 
The win gives Malone (2-3 overall) a 2-1 series edge over the Marauders (1-7) in Tucson.
 
GAME 2: Grace College 23 U-Mary 10
On a day made for hitting with the wind blowing straight out from home plate, Grace College outlasted U-Mary 23-10. The Lancers (4-1 overall) ripped 27 hits, including six extra base hits. The Marauders (1-8) produced season-highs with 10 runs and 15 hits.
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Lancers struck for three in the second and four in the third. U-Mary broke through with a solo run in the third.
 
Kept off the board in the fourth, Grace scored a single run in the fifth and was met by two from the Marauders in the bottom of the inning. A Tom Imholte single down the left field line drove in both runs as U-Mary closed the gap to 8-3.
 
The Lancers responded in force, scoring four times in the sixth. After a single run in the seventh, Grace scored another 10 runs in the final two innings combined.
 
Imholte led the Marauders with an impressive 5-for-5 performance at the plate. The freshman catcher scored three times and drove in three runs. He also had a triple.
 
Drew Feuerbach was 3-for-five, blasting two triples and a double. He scored once and stole a base. Seth Meide also was 3-for-5, scored once and drove in two runs. Sean Hennen knocked in three runs. Cory Dixon had two hits and Andrew Beyer scored twice.
 
Frank Rocchio was 5-for-7 for the Lancers, scoring four times and driving in three. Matt Morgard finished 4-for-4 with six RBIs and three runs scored. The Lancer 1^st baseman had a triple and a home run. CJ Swartz went 4-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBIs.
 
 After a day off, the Marauders return to the field on Wednesday, March 4, with single nine inning games against both Indiana Wesleyan and Northern State University.
 
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