Cornerstone Takes Two From Marygrove Baseball Friday

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Cornerstone erupted for a nine-run sixth inning in game one and never looked back Friday (April 10) as Marygrove baseball fell twice to the host Golden Eagles (14-23, 5-13 WHAC) in Grand Rapids. The nine-run sixth in the opener was the difference as the first-year Mustangs (2-29, 1-19 WHAC) dropped game one, 11-2, and later fell in the nightcap by a 9-1 final tally.

GAME ONE – Cornerstone 11, @MGroveBASEBALL 2
The Mustangs and Golden Eagles were engaged in a pitcher’s duel through five-and-a-half innings before the hosts erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a commanding 11-1 lead. In the top of the seventh, the Mustangs chipped away at the large Golden Eagle lead when Drew Johnson (Trenton, Mich./Trenton High School) sent a sac fly to left field to bring a tagging Trey Blandford (Louisville, Ky./Fern Creek High School) to the plate to make it 11-2 in favor of Cornerstone after seven innings.

The Mustangs threatened in each of the following innings, but the Golden Eagles were up to the task as they went on to win game one, 11-2, over the Green and Gold.

Before the Golden Eagles nine-run outburst in the bottom of the sixth, freshman pitcher Jon Weatherspoon (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron High School) looked good on the mound, limiting the hosts to two runs through five innings. Blandford came on in relief of Weatherspoon for the 18th appearance of his freshman campaign before first-year head coach Ryan Kottke handed the ball to Tyler Sykes (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson High School) who worked a scoreless eighth inning after inducing three Golden Eagle ground balls for outs.

The Mustangs first run of the contest was made possible by freshman David Chung (Warren, Mich./Bishop Foley High School). Chung slapped a single up the middle to earn his eighth RBI of the season when Weatherspoon came around to score, trimming the then-Golden Eagles lead in the third inning to 2-1.

Senior Chris Gittleman (Windsor, Ontario/Trinity Christian College) and freshman Mavrick Dube (Warren, Mich./Mott High School) accounted for the only other Mustangs hits in the opener.

Brandon Willard lifted his record to 3-1 on the season after going seven innings and striking out three to earn the win for the Golden Eagles.

GAME TWO – Cornerstone 9, @MGroveBASEBALL 1
Kottke turned to senior James Edwards to pitch in game two. The senior faced control issues throughout the game despite entering the game with a 4.20 ERA in 15 innings of work over five appearances.

Facing trouble early with runners on the corners and only one down in the first inning, Edwards was backed up by a fine double play as Weatherspoon snagged the Golden Eagle ground ball, touched second and fired it to first baseman Troy Justice (Detroit, Mich./Southfield Lathrup High School) to get the Mustangs out of the jam unscathed.

Chung led off the second with his second single up the middle on the day and was later moved to third off of an infield error that allowed catcher Kyle Hartwick (Oxford, Mich./Rend Lake CC) to move to second. With runners on second and third and nobody out, the Mustangs squandered away a great opportunity to score as the Golden Eagles escaped danger of their own one half inning later to keep the game scoreless.

Missing out on a chance to post a big inning, the Mustangs eventually fell behind the Golden Eagles, 9-0, before sending their lone run across the plate in the top half of the seventh to drop the contest, 9-1.

Johnson collected another hit on the day, going 1-for-3 in the nightcap after sending a sharp shot to left center midway through game two. Edwards, the starting pitcher, helped the Mustangs offensively in the seventh inning by getting on via infield single and advancing to second on a throwing error. Chung singled one batter later to break up the shutout and score Edwards, moving into a tie atop the team lead for RBIs with nine on the season.

Chung led the Mustangs against stellar Golden Eagles pitching by going 2-for-3 in game two.

UP NEXT
The Mustangs will return to Cornerstone for games three and four of the season series Saturday (April 11). Cornerstone in-game coverage will be available here.

BASEBALL CONTACT: Tim Johnston | [email protected]/* */ | @tjohnston56
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