AUBURNDALE, Fla. - Albion College hit homeruns late in both games to achieve a doubleheader sweep of Waynesburg University in spring break baseball action at Lake Myrtle Park's stadium field.
Michael Fischbach's seventh inning grand slam lifted the Britons to a 7-4 victory in game one, and Steven Marowski hammered leadoff shot in the sixth for his first homerun at the collegiate level as the Britons claimed a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.
"Both homeruns were to left field," Head Coach Scott Carden, who earned his 199th and 200th victories with the Britons, said. "It was blowing in from right, knocking the ball down to that side.
"We're swinging it at times, but the balls are flying out," Carden added, noting the Britons have slugged five homeruns in six games to date.
Game One
Fischbach's homerun capped a game where Albion came back after trailing 4-0 through four innings. The Britons got a run in the fifth as Chase Carpenter scored on Justin Dennis' single. Carpenter tacked on a two-run double in the sixth.
The seventh inning rally started when Shane Lindemann reached base on an error and advanced to second on a passed ball. Ben Crawford walked and Kyle Kowal reached on an error to load the bases.
Fischbach's blast lifted starting pitcher Zach Maresh to the victory. Maresh set the Waynesburg batters down in order in the fifth and he struck out two in the sixth to complete six innings of three-hit ball. Maresh finished with six strikeouts.
Game Two
Albion trailed, 3-1, after 3 ½ innings. Errors on consecutive plays with two out allowed Fischbach and Marowski to score as the Britons forged a 3-3 tie after four innings.
The score remained tied until Marowski's towering shot to lead off the sixth. Dennis followed with a RBI double and he would later score when the Yellow Jackets second baseman committed a throwing error.
Bob Green, who threw 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, picked up his first win of the season on the mound. Green inherited runners on second and third with one out in the fourth, but he got the first batter to fly out to right and struck out the second batter. The only hit Green allowed was a single to lead off the fifth.
Relief Pitching
Gunnar Owens was perfect in the seventh inning to gain saves in both games.
"Gunnar has been spectacular," Carden said. "He's been sharp and keeping hitters off balance."
On Deck
Albion will complete its spring break trip with a 10 a.m. Saturday nine-inning game against Wittenberg University. The Britons are scheduled to make their northern debut Tuesday, March 17, with a home game against Bluffton University.