May 15, vs. Shawnee State University
After coming back from deficits all throughout the NAIA Region IX Tournament, fourth-seeded
MVNC fell 18-2 to second-seeded Shawnee State, ranked #22 in the final NAIA national poll, in the championship game. The Cougars managed just eight hits in the game as Brian Sheets and Josh Sichina led the way with two hits apiece. Andy Heimbach (5-3) suffered the loss as he gave up nine hits, three walks, and 10 runs over three and 1/3 innings with three strikeouts. Tim Saunders worked three and 2/3 innings and allowed nine hits, two walks, and five runs with four strikeouts, while Lew Hilgenberg tossed the final two innings and surrendered one hit, one walk, and three unearned runs with two strikeouts. BOXSCORE
May 13, vs. Ohio Dominican College
The fourth-seeded Cougars rallied from an early 9-1 deficit to eliminate third-seeded Ohio Dominican 12-11 in 11 innings in the semifinals of the NAIA Region IX Tournament. Mark Coulter (8-5) earned his third win of the tournament as he tossed eight and 2/3 innings and allowed just seven hits, one walk, and three runs with two strikeouts. Jason Irish started and lasted just two and 1/3 innings as he gave up eight hits and eight runs. Brian Sheets paced the offense by going 4-for-6, and he drove in the winning run with a double off the fence in right center in the eleventh inning. Jason Hall added three hits and four RBI, while Joel Laslo also pounded out three hits. Jeff Wine, Mike Waddell, and Josh Sichina compiled two hits apiece with Waddell launching his sixth home run of the season - a three-run shot in the fifth inning. BOXSCORE
May 13, vs. Shawnee State University
MVNC dropped a 15-12 slugfest to Shawnee State as the Cougars lost for the first time in the NAIA Region IX Tournament.
MVNC trailed by as much as 15-6, and the second-seeded Bears, ranked #22 in the final NAIA national poll, held a 15-8 lead heading to the top of the ninth inning. The Cougars scored four times in the bottom of the ninth inning and had the tying run on base before losing the game. Dave Byard (4-4) suffered the loss as he allowed 12 hits, five walks, and 12 runs over six innings with seven strikeouts. Tim Saunders surrendered three hits and three runs in his one inning of work, while Lew Hilgenberg retired the side in order in the eighth inning. Josh Sichina paced the offense by going 3-for-5 with four RBI, while Jeff Wine also added three hits. Mike Waddell, Brian Sheets, Drue Gray, and Jason Hall also finished with two hits each. BOXSCORE
May 12, vs. Shawnee State University
The Cougars pulled out their second straight extra inning victory in the NAIA Region IX Tournament as
MVNC defeated second-seeded Shawnee State, ranked #22 in the final NAIA national poll, 10-8 in 11 innings. The fourth-seeded Cougars rallied from an early 3-1 deficit to take an 8-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. However, the Bears scored four times in the bottom of the ninth inning to knot the score at 8-8 and send the game into extra innings. After a scoreless tenth inning, Jeff Lavin blasted a two-run homer in the top of the eleventh inning to give
MVNC the win. Mark Coulter (7-5) picked up the victory in relief as he allowed just one hit over the final 2 2/3 innings. Mike Waddell started and allowed nine hits, three walks, and eight runs over eight and 2/3 innings with three strikeouts. Jeff Wine and Brian Sheets led the offense with three hits each, while Waddell, Lavin, and Jon Wisecup recorded two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
May 11, vs. Ohio Dominican College
MVNC rallied for a dramatic 5-4 victory in 10 innings over Ohio Dominican in the Cougars' opening game in the NAIA Region IX Tournament. After trailing 2-0,
MVNC scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 2-2. Jeff Lavin's solo home run gave the fourth-seeded Cougars a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning, but the third-seeded Panthers tied the score at 3-3 with a solo homer with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. After Ohio Dominican took a 4-3 lead in the top of the tenth inning,
MVNC got run-scoring singles from Mark Coulter and Jason Hall with two outs to win the game. Coulter (6-5) picked up the win as he pitched the final inning and allowed three hits and one run. Andy Heimbach worked the first nine innings and gave up just five hits, two walks, and three runs with five strikeouts. Lavin and Mike Waddell paced the Cougars with three hits apiece, while Hall and Brian Sheets each added two hits. BOXSCORE
May 6, at Geneva (PA) College
The Cougars were eliminated in the semifinals of the National Christian College Athletic Association East Region Tournament as
MVNC fell 8-1 to Geneva. Dave Byard (4-3) suffered the loss as he gave up 10 hits and eight runs in six innings of work. Byard also struck out 10 batters. The Cougars' offense only managed four hits in the game with Drue Gray providing all of
MVNC's scoring with a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning. BOXSCORE
May 6, at Geneva (PA) College
MVNC stayed alive in the National Christian College Athletic Association East Region Tournament as the Cougars defeated Geneva 6-2. Andy Heimbach (5-2) picked up the victory as he allowed just three hits, three walks, and two runs over seven innings with a season-high 11 strikeouts. The victory was the 37th career win for Heimbach as he tied the school record previously set by Mike Patch. Jeff Wine, Mike Waddell, and Brian Sheets paced the
MVNC offense with two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
May 5, vs. Malone College
The Cougars dropped a 9-3
decision to Malone in the double elimination National Christian College Athletic Association East Region Tournament. Three
MVNC errors helped lead to seven unearned runs. Mike Waddell (6-3) suffered the loss as he allowed 12 hits and seven runs over six innings with five strikeouts. Lew Hilgenberg also gave up three hits and two unearned runs in one inning of work. Meanwhile, the Cougar offense managed just six singles by six different players. BOXSCORE
May 4, POINT PARK (PA) COLLEGE
MVNC pulled out a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Point Park in the second game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. Jeff Wine's suicide squeeze bunt with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning snapped a 3-3 tie and gave the Cougars the win. Tim Saunders (4-1) picked up the victory in relief as he allowed two hits, four walks, and two runs over three innings with two strikeouts. Jason Irish started the game and gave up just two hits, one walk, and one run over four innings with three strikeouts. Wine and Joel Laslo led the offense with two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
May 4, POINT PARK (PA) COLLEGE
The Cougars pounded out a season-high 19 hits as
MVNC outlasted Point Park 12-10 in the first game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader. Jason Hall paced the offense by going 4-for-4 with three runs batted in, while Eddie Wright, Drue Gray, and Josh Sichina each added three hits apiece. Jeff Wine and Mike Waddell also finished with two hits apiece in the slugfest. Meanwhile, Mark Coulter (5-5) picked up the win as he scattered 11 hits, five walks, and 10 runs over 6 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. Lew Hilgenberg recorded the final out to notch his second save of the season. BOXSCORE
May 2, at Denison University
Denison used a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning to post an 8-4 non-conference victory over
MVNC in a nine-inning game. Lew Hilgenberg (0-2) suffered the loss as he allowed two hits, one walk, and four runs in the fateful eighth inning. Jason Irish started and worked two innings and allowed just one hit. Aaron Holt gave up four hits, two walks, and four runs in one inning of work, while Tim Saunders worked three scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Andy Heimbach also tossed one scoreless inning. Offensively, Joel Laslo, Eddie Wright, and Brian Sheets each collected two hits with Sheets leading the team with two runs batted in. BOXSCORE
April 29, at Geneva (PA) College
Mike Waddell tossed a two-hit shutout to extend his scoreless inning streak to 14 straight innings as the Cougars blanked Geneva 3-0 in the second game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader. Waddell (6-2) struck out ten batters and walked just one in notching the win. Josh Colley and Brian Sheets paced the offense with two hits apiece, while Joe Cuellar added a two-run single in the fourth inning. BOXSCORE
April 29, at Geneva (PA) College
MVNC was shut out for the first time all year as Geneva blanked the Cougars 5-0 in the first game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. Mark Coulter (4-5) suffered the loss as he allowed six hits and five runs - all in the bottom of the fifth inning. Coulter also struck out two batters. Lew Hilgenberg worked the final inning and got the final three outs after a lead-off triple. As a team,
MVNC collected just three hits in the game with Coulter, Eddie Wright, and Drue Gray each recording a single. BOXSCORE
April 28, at Saint Vincent (PA) College
The Cougars blanked Saint Vincent 4-0 in the second game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader as Andy Heimbach tossed his 17th career shutout - extending his all-divisions national record in that category. Heimbach (4-2) allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out nine batters.
MVNC managed just eight hits on offense with Jason Hall and Jeff Wine collecting two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
April 28, at Saint Vincent (PA) College
Despite trailing 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, Saint Vincent scored four times in its final at bat to knock off
MVNC 5-4 in the first game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. Dave Byard (4-2) went the distance on the mound for the Cougars and suffered the loss as he allowed 10 hits and five runs with three strikeouts. Jeff Wine paced the offense by going 3-for-4, while Joel Laslo was 2-for-3 with a double. Drue Gray had the team's only other extra base hit with a double. BOXSCORE
April 27, at the College of Wooster
The Cougars posted a 5-1 non-conference win over Wooster, ranked #18 in NCAA Division III, in a nine-inning game. Freshman Tim Saunders (3-1) turned in the longest outing of the season for
MVNC as he went the distance and allowed just five hits, six walks, and one run. He also struck out eight batters including the final two of the game. Meanwhile, Mark Coulter and Brian Sheets each homered, and Drue Gray went 3-for-4 with two runs scored to pace the offense. BOXSCORE
April 26, TIFFIN UNIVERSITY
MVNC got back to its winning ways behind a stellar pitching performance by Mike Waddell as the Cougars blanked Tiffin 5-0 in the second game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. Waddell (5-2) allowed just four hits and three walks while striking out nine batters for his second shutout of the season. He also helped his own cause by going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Eddie Wright and Steve Waers added a pair of singles apiece. BOXSCORE
April 26, TIFFIN UNIVERSITY
The Cougars fell 7-3 to Tiffin in the first game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader. Mark Coulter (4-4) suffered the loss as he allowed nine hits, two walks, and five runs over five innings with three strikeouts. Jason Irish gave up five hits, one walk, and two runs in one inning of relief work, and Lew Hilgenberg tossed the final inning without allowing a run. Joel Laslo led the offensive attack by going 3-for-3, while Jason Hall was 2-for-2. Jeff Wine also added two hits. BOXSCORE
April 25, MALONE COLLEGE
MVNC dropped a hard-fought 3-2 decision to Malone in the second game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. The Cougars held a 2-1 lead going into the top of the seventh inning, but the Pioneers pushed across two runs and held on for the victory. Andy Heimbach (3-2) took the loss despite allowing just four hits, one walk, and three runs over seven innings. Heimbach also struck out seven batters. Offensively,
MVNC managed just five hits with Jason Hall and Josh Colley each collecting a pair of singles. BOXSCORE
April 25, MALONE COLLEGE
The Cougars snapped their four-game losing streak with a 9-2 victory over Malone in the first game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader. Dave Byard (4-1) picked up the victory as he scattered 10 hits, three walks, and two runs over seven innings. He also struck out a season-high 11 batters. Mark Coulter paced the offensive attack by going 2-for-4 with five runs batted in - three coming on his first home run of the season in the sixth inning. Eddie Wright and Josh Sichina also added two hits apiece with Wright scoring three runs. BOXSCORE
April 18, at Urbana University
MVNC dropped its fourth straight game as the Cougars fell 4-1 to Urbana in the second game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. The four straight losses marks the longest losing streak for
MVNC since the 1994 season when the team dropped five in a row. Mike Waddell (4-2) suffered the loss as he allowed just six hits, two walks, and four runs with eight strikeouts. The Cougars collected just five hits in the game with Josh Sichina driving in the lone run. Josh Colley also went 2-for-3. BOXSCORE
April 18, at Urbana University
The Cougars lost their third straight game as Urbana prevailed 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning in the first game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader. Mark Coulter (4-3) suffered the loss as he allowed just seven hits, three walks, and three runs with four strikeouts.
MVNC managed just seven hits in the game with Jeff Wine collecting two of them. Joel Laslo and Drue Gray each drove in a run for the Cougars. BOXSCORE
April 15, SHAWNEE STATE UNIVERSITY
MVNC dropped its second straight game as Shawnee State, ranked #22 in the latest NAIA national poll, posted an 8-5 victory in the second game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader. Andy Heimbach (3-1) suffered the loss as he allowed 10 hits, six walks, and eight runs with five strikeouts in six and 1/3 innings of work. Lew Hilgenberg recorded the final two outs to close out the game. Joel Laslo led the offense by going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, while Josh Sichina added a double and a single. Mike Waddell also hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season. BOXSCORE
April 15, SHAWNEE STATE UNIVERSITY
The Cougars let an early 5-0 lead slip away in the first game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill as
MVNC dropped an 8-7 decision in eight innings to Shawnee State, ranked #22 in the latest NAIA national poll. Joel Laslo paced the offense by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored, while Mike Waddell was 2-for-3. Jeff Lavin also added two hits that included a grand slam to centerfield in the bottom of the first inning. Mark Coulter (4-2) suffered the loss as he allowed two hits, one walk, and one run in three innings of relief. Dave Byard tossed the first five innings and gave up 11 hits, four walks, and seven runs. Byard also struck out four batters. BOXSCORE
April 13, at Cedarville College
MVNC notched its sixth straight win as the Cougars downed Cedarville 10-4 in the second game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. Tim Saunders (2-1) earned the victory with six strong innings of work as he gave up eight hits, two walks, and four runs. He also struck out three batters. Josh Colley, Jason Hall, and Mark Coulter paced the offensive attack with two hits apiece with Colley and Jeff Wine each driving in two runs apiece.
MVNC broke a 3-3 tie with five runs in the top of the fifth inning. BOXSCORE
April 13, at Cedarville College
The Cougars used an outstanding pitching performance from freshman Jason Irish to down Cedarville 9-1 in the first game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader. Irish (2-1) gave up a single to the first batter that he faced, but held the Yellow Jackets hitless after that as he tossed a one-hitter with one walk and four strikeouts. Meanwhile,
MVNC scored four runs in both the second and third innings to take control of the game. Josh Colley and Jeff Wine were each 2-for-2 with two RBI, while Drue Gray was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. BOXSCORE
April 12, at Walsh University
MVNC moved into sole possession of first place in the American Mideast Conference as the Cougars downed Walsh, ranked #28 in the latest NAIA national poll, 7-2 in the second game of a conference twinbill. Drue Gray paced the offense by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. He broke the game open in the top of the third inning with a three-run homer to right center to give
MVNC a 5-1 lead. Mike Waddell (4-1) picked up the victory as he limited the Cavaliers to just three hits, three walks, and two unearned runs over seven innings. Waddell also struck out nine batters. Besides Gray's three hits, Jeff Lavin, Josh Sichina, and Jason Hall each finished with two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
April 12, at Walsh University
The Cougars handed Walsh, ranked #28 in the latest NAIA national poll, its first American Mideast Conference loss as
MVNC rallied for a 7-5 victory in the first game of a conference doubleheader. Trailing 5-4, the Cougars scored once in the top of the sixth inning to tie the score at 5-5. Then,
MVNC took the lead for good in the seventh inning on an RBI-groundout by Steve Waers and a run-scoring double by Jason Hall. Mark Coulter (4-1) earned the victory as he allowed just five hits, two walks, and one earned run over seven innings with four strikeouts. Hall and Josh Sichina paced the offense with two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
April 10, OHIO DOMINICAN COLLEGE
MVNC used late-inning heroics again to rally for a 5-3 victory over Ohio Dominican in the second game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Brian Sheets' bases-loaded walk tied the game at 2-2. Jason Hall followed with a two-run single through the left side, and Jeff Wine added an RBI-single to left to give the Cougars a 5-2 lead. Andy Heimbach (3-0) picked up the victory by working 6 1/3 innings and allowing just seven hits, six walks, and three runs. Heimbach also struck out nine batters. Mark Coulter recorded the final two outs with the bases loaded in the seventh inning for his first save. Meanwhile, Wine led the offense by going 3-for-3 with two RBI. BOXSCORE
April 10, OHIO DOMINICAN COLLEGE
The Cougars rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 4-3 victory over Ohio Dominican in the first game of an American Mideast Conference doubleheader. Trailing 3-2, Brian Sheets lined a two-out two-run double off the leftfield fence to give the Cougars the victory. Dave Byard (3-1) picked up the win as he scattered 10 hits, two walks, and three runs in a complete-game performance that included five strikeouts. Joel Laslo and Jeff Lavin each went 2-for-3 with a double and a single to pace the offense. BOXSCORE
April 6, at University of Findlay
After leading 6-3,
MVNC dropped a 9-8 decision at Findlay in a non-conference nine-inning game. Jason Irish (1-1) suffered the loss in relief as he gave up five hits, one walk, and six runs in four innings. Irish struck out three batters and hit three batters. Dave Byard started and allowed two hits and a walk in one inning. Andy Heimbach gave up two hits, one walk, and three runs in one inning, while Lew Hilgenberg tossed the final two innings and allowed just one hit. Mike Waddell paced the offense by going 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs batted in, and three runs scored. Josh Sichina and Jeff Wine also added two hit apiece with Sichina blasting a homer. BOXSCORE
April 1, UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE
The Cougars won their third straight game as
MVNC defeated Rio Grande 11-4 in the second game of an American Mideast Conference twinbill. Andy Heimbach (2-0) picked up the complete-game victory after missing 16 days with bursitis in his pitching shoulder. Heimbach allowed nine hits, two walks, and four runs while striking out eight batters. Joel Laslo led the offense by going 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and three runs batted in. Jeff Wine also blasted his second home run of the year, drove in two runs, and scored twice. BOXSCORE
April 1, UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE
After trailing 1-0,
MVNC scored 11 unanswered runs on its way to an 11-1 American Mideast Conference victory over Rio Grande in the first game of a doubleheader. Jeff Lavin went 3-for-3, while Eddie Wright and Joel Lalso each went 2-for-4 with four runs batted in. Wright also tied a school record with a pair of triples, while Mike Waddell blasted his team-leading third home run of the year. Dave Byard (2-1) notched the victory as he allowed just five hits, two walks, and one run over five innings. He also struck out seven batters. BOXSCORE
March 30, MOUNT UNION COLLEGE
The Cougars pounded out 11 hits on their way to a 9-1 victory over Mount Union in the second game of a non-conference doubleheader. Josh Sichina was 3-for-3 with three runs batted in, while Drue Gray went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Mike Waddell (3-1) picked up the victory as he allowed just five hits, two walks, and one unearned run in his complete-game performance. Waddell also struck out five batters. BOXSCORE
March 30, MOUNT UNION COLLEGE
MVNC committed five costly errors as the Cougars fell 4-3 to Mount Union in the first game of a non-conference twinbill. Mark Coulter (3-1) suffered hard-luck loss as he allowed just seven hits, three walks, and three earned runs over seven innings while striking out four batters. Joel Laslo paced the
MVNC offense with a pair of doubles, while Eddie Wright blasted his second home run of the year. BOXSCORE
March 25, vs. University of Sioux Falls (SD)
The Cougars fell 11-4 to Sioux Falls in the second game of a twinbill at the Gene Cusic Classic as
MVNC wrapped up its annual spring trip. Sioux Falls scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning to break the game open. Lew Hilgenberg (0-1) suffered the loss in relief as he allowed six hits, one walk, and six runs in one inning. Steve Waers started the game and allowed seven hits, three walks, and three runs over five innings. Aaron Holt tossed the final inning and gave up three hits and two runs. Brian Sheets and Joel Laslo each doubled with Sheets driving in two runs and Laslo scoring twice to pace the offense. BOXSCORE
March 25, vs. University of Sioux Falls (SD)
MVNC
scored five runs in the top of the first inning and held on for a 6-3 victory over Sioux Falls in the first game of a doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Classic. Eddie Wright paced the offense by going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and two stolen bases. Jeff Wine also added two hits and two stolen bases. Mark Coulter (3-0) picked up the victory as he allowed just six hits, one walk, and one earned run over seven innings. Coulter also struck out three batters. BOXSCORE
March 24, vs. Slippery Rock (PA) University
The Cougars returned to their winning ways in dramatic fashion as Mike Waddell blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning to propel
MVNC to a 13-8 victory over Slippery Rock in the second game of a doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Classic. Waddell finished the game 1-for-2 with a home run, two sacrifice flies, and six runs batted in. Eddie Wright also drove in three runs with two hits, while Josh Colley finished with two singles. Waddell (2-1) picked up the victory despite giving up 12 hits, two walks, and eight runs over six innings while striking out five batters. Lew Hilgenberg worked the final inning and gave up one hit and one walk. BOXSCORE
March 24, vs. Slippery Rock (PA) University
MVNC
suffered its second straight loss as the Cougars fell 9-6 to Slippery Rock in the first game of a twinbill at the Gene Cusic Classic. Eddie Wright and Jeff Wine paced the offense with two hits apiece, while Joel Laslo and Brian Sheets each drove in two runs. Dave Byard (1-1) suffered the loss as he allowed seven hits, five walks, and seven runs over four innings. Aaron Zimmerman tossed the final two innings and gave up two hits, three walks, and two runs. BOXSCORE
March 23, vs. University of Sioux Falls (SD)
The Cougars dropped a hard-fought 3-2 decision to Sioux Falls in the second game of a twinbill at the Gene Cusic Classic. Tim Saunders (1-1) suffered the hard-luck loss as he allowed just six hits, two walks, and three runs over six innings.
MVNC managed just six hits with Josh Sichina collecting a double and a single. BOXSCORE
March 23, vs. University of Sioux Falls (SD)
MVNC
posted a 12-7 victory over Sioux Falls in the first game of doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Classic. Jeff Lavin led the Cougars' offense by going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and a double. Mike Waddell was 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Jeff Wine was 2-for-3 with his first home run of the year. Eddie Wright also stole three bases and scored three runs. Meanwhile, Jason Irish (1-0) picked up the victory as he worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed 10 hits, four walks, and seven runs - only two of which were earned. He also struck out five batters. Lew Hilgenberg tossed the final 1 1/3 innings and recorded one strikeout. BOXSCORE
March 21, vs. East Stroudsburg (PA) University
The Cougars dropped a 9-5 decision to East Stroudsburg in the second game of a doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Classic. Aaron Holt (0-1) suffered the loss as he allowed seven hits, two walks, and six runs. Steve Waers tossed the final three innings and gave up three hits, five walks, and three runs with three strikeouts. Joel Laslo paced the offense by going 3-for-5 with three runs batted in. Brian Sheets, Jason Hall, and Josh Colley also finished with two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
March 21, vs. East Stroudsburg (PA) University
MVNC
scored six runs in the sixth inning to post a 10-8 victory over East Stroudsburg in the first game of a twinbill at the Gene Cusic Classic. Josh Colley paced the offense by going 2-for-3 with an inside-the-park home run, two runs scored, and three runs batted in. Jeff Wine also doubled twice, drove in two runs, and scored twice. Mark Coulter (2-0) picked up the victory as he allowed 11 hits, one walk, and eight runs over 6 1/3 innings with six strikeouts. Lew Hilgenberg recorded the final two outs for his first save of the season. BOXSCORE
March 20, vs. Cardinal Stritch (WI) University
The Cougars returned to their winning ways as
MVNC defeated Cardinal Stritch 6-2 in the second game of a twinbill at the Gene Cusic Classic. Dave Byard picked up the victory as he tossed a complete game in his first appearance of the year. Byard allowed just five hits, one walk, and two runs while striking out seven batters. Mike Waddell paced the offense by going 2-for-3 with a home run, while Jeff Wine added two singles. Eddie Wright also pounded his second homer of the year in the fifth inning. BOXSCORE
March 20, vs. Cardinal Stritch (WI) University
MVNC
suffered its first loss of the season as the Cougars fell 4-2 to Cardinal Stritch in the first game of a doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Classic. Cardinal Stritch took advantage of two
MVNC errors and two hit batsmen to plate four runs in the top of the seventh inning for the win. Mike Waddell (1-1) suffered the loss as he allowed just five hits, six walks, and four runs over six-plus innings. Lew Hilgenberg tossed the final inning and allowed a walk and hit a batter. Joel Laslo collected two of the Cougars' four hits, while Eddie Wright walked twice, was hit by a pitch, and stole three bases. BOXSCORE
March 17, vs. Illinois Institute of Technology
The Cougars extended their winning streak to four games as
MVNC out-slugged Illinois Tech 17-11 in the second game of a doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Classic. Brian Sheets and Jason Hall each had three hits with Sheets connecting for his first home run of the season. Jeff Wine, Joel Laslo, Eddie Wright, Josh Sichina, and Jeff Lavin also added two hits apiece to the winning attack. Tim Saunders (1-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Aaron Holt. Saunders allowed four hits, two walks, and five runs in 2 1/3 innings. Holt tossed the first three innings and gave up six hits, eight walks, and six earned runs. Lew Hilgenberg tossed the final inning and recorded one strikeout. BOXSCORE
March 17, vs. Illinois Institute of Technology
MVNC
picked up its third consecutive victory as the Cougars downed Illinois Tech 5-2 in the first game of a twinbill at the Gene Cusic Classic. After trailing 2-0,
MVNC knotted the score with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Then, Josh Sichina blasted a pinch-hit three-run homer in the seventh inning to propel the Cougars to the victory. Eddie Wright also added a triple, two singles, and two stolen bases. Mark Coulter picked up the victory as he allowed just seven hits, one walk, and two earned runs over seven innings while striking out six batters. BOXSCORE
March 16, vs. Bluefield State (WV) College
The Cougars won their second straight game as
MVNC blanked Bluefield State 10-0 at the Gene Cusic Classic. Mike Waddell, who missed the entire 1999 season with a hand injury, tossed a two-hit shutout to pick up the win. He also struck out a career-high 14 batters. Waddell also helped his own cause by going 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs batted in. Jeff Wine added two hits in four at bats, while Josh Sichina drove in three runs with a triple in the sixth inning. BOXSCORE
March 16, vs. Dordt (IA) College
MVNC successfully opened the 2000 season as the Cougars downed Dordt 13-2 at the Gene Cusic Classic. Andy Heimbach, the 1999 NAIA National Player of the Year, tossed a complete game and earned the victory as he allowed just five hits, four walks, and two earned runs. He also struck out nine batters. Meanwhile, Joel Laslo paced the offense by going 4-for-4 with three runs batted in. Jon Wisecup went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, and Eddie Wright drove in three runs and scored twice as he tripled and singled in four at bats. Brian Sheets finished with a double and a single, while Jeff Lavin pounded a home run. BOXSCORE