QUINCY, IL –
Darius Barlas blasted a solo home run and
Parker McRae and a squad of four relievers carried the University of Mary to a 4-1 win over the University of Sioux Falls in the Northern Sun opener for both teams.
Due to unplayable conditions in Sioux Falls, SD, the opening Northern Sun series for both the Marauders and the Cougars started a day later than scheduled and 500 miles further away than planned as the three-game set moved to Quincy, IL. The change of plans, though, refused to phase UMary.
Jumpstarted by a blast from Barlas, the Marauders scored three time in the second. Leading off the second, Barlas pulled the ball over the right field fence for a quick 1-0 lead. It was the senior second baseman's first home run of the season.
Quentin Evers followed with a walk and moved to third on a
Jaxon Ford single. After Ford stole second, a wild pitch scored Evers with a second run and moved Ford to third. With the bases soon loaded when
William Kranz reached after swinging at strike three on a wild pitch and
Connor Doll walked, Ford scored on the fourth wild pitch of the inning.
The Marauders pushed their advantage to 4-0 in the fourth on a
Braeton Wixo two-out single to score
Jesus Payan.
Pitching with a lead, McRae held the Cougars offense in check. The junior pitched a clean first inning and stranded a pair of USF runners in the second and the fifth to maintain the Marauders lead. In the sixth, though, McRae needed some help and the UMary bullpen delivered.
Following a pair of singles,
Ian Fisher entered the game and struck out the first hitter he faced. After a groundout scored a run to close the game to 3-1, Fisher closed the inning with another strikeout. Fisher struck out two more Cougars while pitching a perfect seventh innings.
Colin Gudereit and
Brandon Gill combined to pitch a scoreless eight. Gudereit walked the first two hitters he faced before getting a ground ball out. With both runners now in scoring position, Gill struck out the first hitter he faced before inducing a ground ball back to the mound to end the Sioux Falls threat.
Moving from left field to the mound, senior closer
Chris Scott dominated the ninth inning. Scott struck out all three hitters to earn his second save of the season.
Wixo finished with two of the Marauders six hits and one RBI. He also had one of four UMary steals. Doll had two steals and Ford one.
McRae struck out four and allowed one run in five innings as he earned his second win of the season. He gave up five hits and two walks. Fisher retired all six hitters he faced and struck out four. Scott added three strikeouts.
In a dominant bullpen performance, the four Marauders relievers retired 12 of the 14 hitters faced, didn't allow a hit, gave up two walks and struck out eight in four innings.
Ryan Bernardy had two of the Cougars five hits. All seven USF pitchers combined to strike out 13 hitters and walked three.
The Marauders (4-8 overall, 1-0 NSIC) and the Cougars (2-12, 0-1) wrap up their NSIC series with a doubleheader on Monday, March 18. First pitch is set for noon.
#marauders#
