The Aquinas baseball team was unable to start its spring break trip in style, as the Saints engaged in an offensive slugfest at #22 IU-Southeast in New Albany, Ind. on Monday (Mar. 9). In a game in which both teams recorded 14 hits, the Saints were on the wrong side of the scoreboard, falling to the Grenadiers by a 14-8 score.
It was the opening game of the weeklong trip for the Saints, as AQ dips to 3-6 on the season. Top-25 IU-Southeast improves to 17-1 on the year. Aquinas is back in action twice on Tuesday (Mar. 10), as the Saints face Trinity Baptist (10:00 a.m.) and Mississippi University for Women (1:00 p.m.) in Emerson, Ga.
AQ got off to a great start on Monday against the Grenadiers scoring twice in the first inning and taking a 6-0 lead after the top of the third.
Brady Keur opened the game with a leadoff triple and scored on
Michael Maher's RBI single. Maher later scored on a
Nathan Hughes single for the quick 2-0 edge.
A two-run single from
Kelvin Aracena in the third inning brought both Hughes and
Braden Nawrocki around to score and make it 4-0, Saints. Later in the frame,
Sean Wing delivered a single to score Aracena and
Nick Brzezinski for the 6-0 cushion.
The Grenadiers responded with two runs in the third inning and five more in the fourth to move out in front, 7-6. AQ quickly answered with a two-out triple from
Jacob Holt in the top of the fifth inning. Courtesy runner
Anthony Arnold ran for Holt and scored on an IU-Southeast error to tie the game at 7-7.
IU-Southeast scored twice in the home half of the fifth inning and plated five more runs in the sixth to take control of the game. Arnold against scored in the ninth inning, coming home on a
Grant Smitz sacrifice fly for the final run of the day.
Keur, Maher, Hughes, and Nawrocki all collected two hits apiece, with Aracena and Wing notching two RBI. Arnold scored two of AQ's eight runs.
Travis Keys started on the bump for the Saints, allowing seven runs and striking out six in 3.2 innings.
Hunter Morrison was dealt with the loss, giving up seven runs in two frames.
Bruce Buurstra logged 1.1 innings and
Blake Wright threw the last frame, with neither pitcher allowing a run or hit.