Minnick homers twice to help MVNU split series with Saint Francis

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team (14-6, 4-4 CL) wrapped up its four-game series against the University of Saint Francis (8-11, 6-2 CL) at Cougar Field on Monday, March 10.

Game 1 Summary:

Saint Francis got on the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning with a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead. While MVNU was able to threaten and get men on base, it could not find a way to push a run across. In the game, MVNU left nine men on base. USF added two more runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth in route to its 5-0 win.

Reese Willoughby had a very solid outing for MVNU. Willoughby pitched six innings and allowed just two hits and two runs. He had five strikeouts on the day.

Game 2 Summary:

MVNU’s offense bounced back in a big way in game two as it exploded for nine runs off 11 hits. Trailing 0-2 in the bottom of the second, MVNU scored five runs, which was highlighted by Rider Minnick’s three-run homer that broke the tie and put MVNU up 5-2. Now with the score 7-4 in the sixth, Minnick hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot, to extend MVNU’s lead to 9-4. USF hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh but could not find the game tying run as MVNU went on to win by a final score of 9-7 at Cougar Field.

Jarin Bertke got the start and the win for MVNU on the mound. The senior pitched six innings and allowed four hits and four runs. Bertke had four strikeouts.

What’s Next:

MVNU will travel to Winona Lake, Indiana on Friday, March 14 to begin a four-game weekend series with the Grace College Lancers. Game one of the Friday doubleheader is set to begin at 1:00 p.m.