April 24, 2008

ORAIN, Ohio - Freshman lefty Josh Mann needed just 104 pitches to toss a complete-game three-hitter to lead the Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team to an 8-2 victory at NCAA Division I Cleveland State University in a non-conference nine-inning game at the Pipe Yard on Wednesday evening.

 

Mann (3-1), who was making just his fifth career start and had tossed a total of 18.2 innings combined in the previous four outings, was in control against the Vikings (17-19) as he snapped their four-game winning streak.  He allowed just three hits, three walks, and two runs (one earned) in going all nine innings for his first career complete game.  He also struck out a career-high seven batters and induced 15 ground ball outs including two double plays.

 

                The Cougars (24-15) wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard as senior outfielder Garret Shivley reached on an error with one out and senior third baseman Richey Burgos followed by drawing a walk.  Junior second baseman Josh Estep drove in the first run with a single to center, and senior designated hitter Marc Hadley followed with another RBI-single to center to make it 2-0.  After a walk to freshman catcher Ricardo Rodriguez loaded the bases, sophomore first baseman Matt Parks plated another run with a sacrifice fly to center as MVNU's lead grew to 3-0.

 

                Burgos helped to extend the Cougars' lead to 4-0 in the top of the third inning when he led off the frame with a triple to right center.  One out later, Burgos came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Hadley to center.

 

                MVNU used a two-out rally kept alive by an error to tack on two more runs in the top of the fourth inning.  Freshman outfielder Steve Williams and senior shortstop Ross Yoder reached on back-to-back singles after the first two batters were retired.  A fielding error on Shivley's ground ball to third loaded the bases, and Burgos followed with a two-run single to rightfield as the Cougars increased their lead to 6-0.

 

                Cleveland State finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Vikings manufactured an unearned run to cut the deficit to 6-1.  John Brown led off the inning by reaching on an error.  A ground out moved him up to second, and with two outs, he stole third base.  From there he scored on a single up the middle by Tom Carter.

 

                Cleveland State added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull within 6-2.  Alex Kerins hit a one-out double to left center and moved to third on a wild pitch.  One out later, Adam Heideman drove him in on an infield single.

 

                MVNU got the two runs back in the top of the eighth inning, though, as the Cougars did some manufacturing of their own.  Hadley led off with a single to left center.  One out later, Parks doubled down the leftfield line to put runners at second and third.  After freshman outfielder Kodi Veale was walked intentionally to load the bases, Williams perfectly executed a suicide squeeze bunt that plated two runs to push the lead back to 8-2.

 

                That would prove to be all the scoring in the game as Mann retired the final 10 batters he faced to complete his outstanding pitching performance.

 

                "Josh was outstanding on the mound today," said MVNU head coach Keith Veale.  "Going into the game, we planned to use several pitchers.  However, once Josh got going, he made it hard to take him out of the game.  His fastball had a lot of life to it, and he was able to throw other pitches for strikes in key situations.  He had good command of all his pitches, and he was also able to keep his pitch count down, which helped him go the distance.  It was a great performance."

 

                Dylan Henry (0-2) took the loss for the Vikings as he allowed six hits, two walks, and six runs (only two earned) over 3.2 innings with one strikeout.  Chris Bauman scattered two hits, one walk, and two runs over 3.2 innings with five strikeouts, while Jonathan Sprowls tossed the final 1.2 innings scoreless and gave up just two hits with one strikeout.

 

                Burgos paced the MVNU offensive attack by going 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.  Estep and Hadly added two hits apiece with Hadley and Williams both driving in two runs apiece.

 

                "Our offense did a good job of executing today," said Veale.

 "We got some timely hits and we were also able to manufacture some runs.  Steve (Williams) did a great job of getting an excellent bunt down in the eighth inning, and that just helped to cap off a good job at the plate by our hitters.  This was a good all-around win for us today."

 

                Cleveland State got only a double by Kerins with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning and singles by Heideman, Brown, and Carter as Mann was able to hold the Vikings in check.

 

                The Cougars will return to action on Saturday when MVNU will NAIA No. 20 Malone College in an important American Mideast Conference doubleheader that will start at 1:00 p.m.  The Pioneers will be looking to clinch the AMC regular-season title, while the Cougars are still in a battle for one of the four playoff spots in the NAIA Region IX Tournament as they are currently in fourth place.