Site: Auburndale, Fla. (Lake Myrtle Field)
Score: Madonna University 13, State University of New York (SUNY) at Canton 1
Records: MU 5-2, SUNY Canton 0-3
Next MU event: Friday, March 5 vs. William Penn (Lake Myrtle Park), 12:00pm

BOX SCORE | LIVE BLOG FOR FRIDAY'S GAMES

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - Behind a three-run homer from senior Drew Fry (Madison Heights, Mich.) in the first inning and a career-high 10 strike outs from fellow senior Jeff Mann (Waterford, Mich.), the No. 21-ranked Madonna University baseball team opened its swing through the state of Florida with a 13-1 upending of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Canton on Thursday night (March 4) at Lake Myrtle Park.

MU (5-2) got five solid innings out of Mann - making is his second career start - as the righty struck out 10 and allowed just three hits and a run to move to 1-0 on the year. In addition to Fry's big blow in the opening frame, freshmen Alex Charles (Farmington Hills, Mich.), Steve Pelletier (Farmington Hills, Mich.) and Spencer Sarel (Brighton, Mich.) each collected their first career base hits as Charles picked up a pair and drove in a run. Sophomore Billy Hardin III (Livonia, Mich.) drove in two, as did junior Matt Kay (Canton, Mich.).

After Mann struck out the side in the first, the Crusader offense put four runs on the board, three coming home on Fry's shot to left after Kay had driven in junior Shawn Little (Canton, Mich.) - who had earlier drawn a one-out walk - to start the four-run outburst for MU.

The Crusaders plated four more runs in the second inning as junior Tarik Khasawneh (Canton, Mich.) was hit by a pitch and then run for by Pelletier. Pelletier then stole second and came home on a single from senior Ted Toune (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) to make it 5-0. Toune stole second and moved up on a deep fly ball from Little before coming home on a wild pitch for a 6-0 lead. Junior Jeff Bultinck (Sterling Heights, Mich.) then stroked a double to center and came home on a double off of the bat of senior Zach Flavin (Novi, Mich.) that made it 7-0. Flavin came home with MU's eighth run in the first two innings on a single from Kay for the 8-0 lead.

MU tacked on single runs in the third and fourth and put the game away in the bottom of the sixth, plating three runs in the frame to go on top 13-1. Junior Mike Gannser (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) led off with a double and freshman Donny Holland (White Lake, Mich.) was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second with no one out. Charles then reached on an infield single to load the bases for Hardin III who then delivered a double that scored courtesy runner Drew Adamiec (Walled Lake, Mich.) and Gansser before Sarel drew a bases loaded walk that made it 13-1.

Sophomore Tom Hansen (Rochester Hills, Mich.) came in for the seventh and after allowing a lead off walk, retired the next three hitters in his first action of the season to close the 12-run MU win.

The Crusaders continue their trip to Florida on Friday (March 5) with a double header against William Penn starting at 12pm at Lake Myrtle Park. Fans can follow along and ask questions on the LIVE BLOG that will be updated during the game as well.

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834