The first game did not get off to a good start for MVNU (26-15, 14-8 AMC) as NAIA No. 20 Malone (33-11, 21-5 AMC) scored one run in the top of the first inning and two runs in both the second and third innings to build an early 5-0 lead. The Pioneers registered six hits in their first three trips to the plate and also took advantage of two errors by the Cougars. Ryan Baechel, Troy Richeson, and Justin Shiflett each had RBI-singles, while Jon Lutton drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Then, in the bottom of the third inning, the momentum switched back over to MVNU. Sophomore first baseman Matt Parks led off the inning with a single - the Cougars’ first base runner of the game - and moved to third when sophomore outfielder Kodi Veale doubled off the rightfield fence. A ground out to second by freshman outfielder Steve Williams got MVNU on the scoreboard 5-1 for the first out of the inning.

Senior shortstop Ross Yoder walked to put runners at first and third, and he moved to second and Veale came in to score on a wild pitch to make it 5-2. Senior outfielder Garret Shivley battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk. Senior third baseman Richey Burgos (left) followed with a long three-run home run to right center to knot the score at 5-5.

The Cougars were not done in the inning, though, as junior second baseman Josh Estep singled up the middle. Senior outfielder Marc Hadley put MVNU on top 7-5 by blasting a two-run homer to deep rightfield.

The Cougars tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Yoder and Shivley both reached on one-out singles and Burgos blasted another three-run homer to rightfield to increase MVNU’s lead to 10-5. It was Burgos’ career-high and team-leading 12th home run of the season and the 34th of his career. It was also only the second home run given up this season in 51.1 innings by Malone’s Adam Boudler, who came into the game with a microscopic 1.81 ERA.

Malone began chipping away at the Cougars’ lead. The Pioneers closed the gap to 10-8 in the top of the fifth inning when Richeson pounded a three-run home run - his first of the season - over the fence in left center.

Richeson helped Malone score an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning as the Pioneers used one hit, one walk, and one error to score on his fielder’s choice to pull within 10-9.

In the top of the seventh inning, Malone took advantage of another error by MVNU to knot the score at 10-10. With one out, Zac Barson and Zach Winkhart both singled. Chris Mandeville followed with a single through the left side of the infield. Shivley’s throw to the plate beat Barson, but sophomore catcher Travis McInerney dropped the ball allowing Barson to score.

The Cougars escaped further damage, though, as Lutton grounded into a double play to end the inning and send the game to the bottom of the seventh tied at 10-10.

The Pioneers returned the favor to MVNU in the bottom of the inning as Estep led off the inning by reaching on an error. After Estep moved to second on a passed ball, freshman infielder Michael Hendren bunted Estep to third and was safe himself at first base when the throw to first pulled Baechel off the bag.

At this point with no outs, Malone coach Tom Crank elected to intentionally walk McInerney to load the bases and set up a possible force at the plate. He also moved Richeson in from center to play behind the bag at second with Mandeville and Stallings moving to left center and right center respectively. The strategy backfired, however, when Parks (right) hit a shallow pop up to leftfield that fell easily for a hit as each runner moved up with Estep scoring the winning run in the 11-10 walk-off victory.

Estep (2-1) picked up the win in relief as he tossed the final 1.2 innings and allowed three hits, two walks, and one unearned run with one strikeout. Senior lefty Levi Curry started and lasted just two-plus innings as he gave up five hits, two walks, and four runs with one strikeout. Freshman right-hander Caleb Wright also scattered six hits, one walk, and five runs (four earned) over 3.1 innings with two strikeouts.

Jeffrey Shenker (2-1) took the loss in relief for the Pioneers as he gave up two walks and one unearned run in two-plus innings with two strikeouts. Winkhart started and lasted 2.1 innings and gave up five hits, two walks, and seven runs. Boudler allowed four hits and three runs in his 1.2 innings of work, and Brian Bayer gave up one hit and one walk to the two batters that he faced.

Offensively, Burgos went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs, two runs scored, and six RBI to lead the Cougars. Parks added two hits, and Yoder, Shivley, and Estep each scored twice.

Malone was led by Richeson, who went 3-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored. Baechel, Mandeville, and Shiflett added two hits apiece, and Stallings scored three runs.

MVNU wasted little time in scoring in the second game as the Cougars took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on Hadley’s (left) three-run bomb to right center with two outs. It was Hadley’s second home run of the day and his fifth of the season.

MVNU added another run in the bottom of the second inning when Parks hit a ground-rule double to center and moved to third on Veale’s fly out to center. He came around to score when Hendren lined an RBI-double just inside the rightfield line to make it 4-0.

The Pioneers got right back into the game in the top of the third inning, though, as Malone strung together three singles and also took advantage of an error and a passed ball. Scott McIlvain and Winkhart both had run-scoring ground outs in the inning and the other run scored on an errant pick-off throw at first base.

However, the Cougars got the three runs back and then some in the bottom of the third inning as MVNU put together its second seven-run inning of the day by sending 11 batters to the plate and taking advantage of three errors in the frame that caused six of the seven runs to be unearned.

Hadley had a two-run double in the inning, while McInerney and Estep each had RBI-singles. Shivley also plated a run with a fielder’s choice, while junior pinch runner Nick Martindale scored on a wild pitch. Veale scored the other run on a throwing error as the Cougars’ lead grew back to 11-3.

Malone made things interesting in the top of the fifth inning as the Pioneers got an RBI-double from Winkhart, a run-scoring single by Stallings, and a sacrifice fly from Mandeville to close the gap to 11-6.

After going out in order in the top of the sixth inning, Malone threatened again in the top of the seventh inning as Shenker and Barson led off the inning with singles. However, Winkhart struck out swinging and Mandeville grounded into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play as MVNU completed the sweep with the 11-6 victory.

Junior right-hander Jason Decker (right) (6-4) earned the complete-game win as he scattered 10 hits, one walk, and six runs (five earned) over seven innings with four strikeouts.

Todd Liberatore (6-1) started and suffered his first loss of the season as he gave up six hits, three walks, and eight runs (five earned) over just two-plus innings. The home run that he allowed to Hadley with two outs in the bottom of the first inning is the only home run he has given up in 40.2 innings this year.

Sam Campitella allowed three hits, one walk, and three unearned runs in two-thirds of an inning of work with one strikeout, while Josh McKeivier tossed 2.1 scoreless innings and gave up just two hits with one strikeout. Brian Bayer tossed the final inning and allowed one hit with one strikeout.

Offensively, Parks led the Cougars by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Hadley was 2-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored. Shivley and Hendren also added two hits apiece, and Shivley and Burgos both scored two runs each.

Baechel, Barson, and Stallings each had two hits to lead the Pioneers, while Winkhart drove in two runs.

The two victories keeps MVNU in the hunt for one of the four spots in the upcoming NAIA Region IX Tournament that will get under way on May 7. The Cougars are currently in fourth place at 14-8 with a four-game conference series with Point Park (Pa.) University remaining. Ohio Dominican University is now atop the standings at 16-3 following two wins on Saturday over Shawnee State University but with seven conference games still remaining. Malone finishes conference play at 21-5 and falls into second place. Urbana University is third at 13-7 after a loss at Walsh University and with six games remaining, and Walsh is just behind MVNU in fifth place at 13-9 with four games to play.

MVNU will return to action on Monday with a non-conference nine-inning game against Ohio Wesleyan University that is slated to start at 4:30 p.m.