Mineral Area splits doubleheader with Lindenwood
ST. CHARLES – The Mineral Area Cardinals have been in a drought for wins over the past few weeks, but they quenched their thirst a little in the first game of a doubleheader with the Lindenwood College J.V. team with a 4-0 shut-out pitched by their ace Nate Eisenbeis.
Eisenbeis allowed only one hit and four walks in his six innings on the mound, while striking out six batters. Josh Sabourin got the one-inning save walking one batter and allowing one hit before closing off the shut-out game.
Michael Hall was nearly all the offense that Eisenbeis and the Cardinals needed. Hall accounted for all four runs for MAC with a three-run blast in the second inning that scored Mike Christman and Scott Hubbard, and then he singled in Marty Clements in the sixth inning after Clements had reached second on a double.
The Cardinals only had six hits in the game as Billy Palmer, Hubbard, and Christman all reached base on singles.
In the second game Lindenwood exploded with four runs in the sixth inning to claim a 10-4 win over the Cardinals. Ryan Becker did all he could do for the Cardinals with a solo home run and a two-RBI double. Christman drove in the other run with one of his two doubles in the game.
Becker’s home run came in the first inning to give the Cardinals the early lead, but Lindenwood matched the run in the bottom of the inning and then scored four more in the third to take the lead for good.
Hall had the only other hit for the Cardinals in the second game with a triple in the fifth inning before Becker’s double drove him home.
Trey Graviett was credited with the loss as he threw two-and-two-thirds innings giving up five runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out only one batter. Josh Skaggs struck out three batters while throwing three-and-a-third innings in relief, and he also gave up five runs, but only on four hits and two walks as four of the runs were unearned. Hubbard pitched the last out of the game.
The Cardinals are now 12-29-2 and will play next on May 9 at Meramec.
