Hitting becomes contagious as MAC completes weekend sweep

By MATT KING\Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area College baseball team hit its offensive stride in a big way at home on Sunday. The Cardinals collected 15 total hits including seven doubles in a 16-6 thrashing of Muscatine College, completing a three-game series sweep over the Indians.

Muscatine appeared primed to bring a victory back to Iowa, leading 6-1 in the fourth inning, but the Cardinals responded emphatically by scoring 15 unanswered runs over the next five frames to invoke the 10-run mercy rule in the eighth.

Offensive production began at the top of the lineup for MAC (7-12) as freshman lead-off man Ryan Dickerman reached base six times in the contest, going a perfect 4-4 with three RBI and four runs scored.

Sean Bard also had a huge day at the plate, finishing 3-4 with two doubles and six RBI. Bard's two-run single with the bases loaded in the eighth ended the game. Tyler Stahl chipped in a 3-5 performance with a pair of doubles.

"We've been preaching at the guys to hit the ball the other way," said MAC coach Jim Gerwitz. "Early in the game the guys were taking too many strikes, especially down in the count, but if you put the ball in play, then good things happen."

The Indians broke an early 1-1 tie and surged ahead with four runs in the top of the third inning against MAC starter Jeremy Warren. A single and two walks loaded the bases with two outs for Ryan Guilliland, who ripped a three-run double down the left-field line. Guilliland then came around to score on a RBI single by Zach Davis.

Trey Graviett took the mound in relief of Warren in the fourth and surrendered a RBI double to Randy Rosa, but Muscatine managed just one hit against the sophomore hurler over the remainder of the game.

Graviett kept the Indians guessing at the plate and racked up seven strikeouts over five innings to earn the victory, retiring 10 consecutive batters at one point. The MAC defense also did its part by committing no errors in the contest.

"Trey was outstanding today," added Gerwitz. "He threw well for us down in Mississippi, and hopefully he'll continue to throw well throughout the rest of the season."

Mineral Area began its comeback in the bottom of the fourth against right-handed starter Jonathon Cuevas. Ryan Becker smashed a RBI double to deep left-center field to score Stahl, who doubled earlier in the inning. Two batters later, Dickerman stroked a RBI hit up the middle to bring MAC to within 6-4.

The Cardinals picked up an unearned run in the fifth before taking command with four tallies in the sixth. Dickerman tied the score with his third hit of the day, and advanced to second base when Ryan Hoffman was struck by a pitch. Muscatine pitchers hit five batters and issued five walks in all.

Marty Clements put MAC on top with a double against reliever Raymond Santos, who was tabbed the loss. Bard smashed a line drive just inside the third-base chalk on the next pitch for a two-run double to make it 9-6.

Four more runs crossed the plate as the Cardinals batted around in the seventh. After Dickerman singled home the next run, Bard peppered the left-field corner with another two-run double to increase the margin to six runs. Stahl capped the frame with a RBI double which was misjudged in center field.

Muscatine committed three errors during the game, including one to start the final scoring outburst for the Cardinals in the eighth.

Warren allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out three in taking a no-decision for MAC. Davis, Rosa and Wes Fergus each had two hits in the loss for the Indians.

The Cardinals will begin a crucial stretch of games against conference and region rivals on Tuesday with a double-header at Meramec. MAC will host Jefferson College for two games at 1 p.m. on Thursday.

Muscatine 104 100 00 - 6 9 3

Mineral Area 100 314 43 - 16 15 0

Muscatine:

Hitting - Rosa 2, Fergus 2, Davis 2, Kuhl, Farnsworth, Guilliland. 2b - Rosa 2, Guilliland 1.

Pitching - Cuevas 3 2/3i 4r 4h 2k 1bb 2hp, Santos (L) 1 2/3i 3r 2er 3h 1k 1bb 1hp, Thompson 1 2/3i 6r 6h 0k 1bb 2hp, Begey 2/3i 3r 0er 2h 0k 2bb

MAC:

Hitting - Dickerman 4, Bard 3, Stahl 3, Clements 2, Sikes, Becker, Pikula. 2b - Bard 2, Stahl 2, Dickerman, Clements, Becker, Pikula.

Pitching - Warren 3i 5r 7h 3k 2bb 2hp, Graviett (W) 5i 1r 2h 7k 3bb