GAME 1 BOX SCORE; GAME 2 BOX SCORE
TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Rose-Hulman
Institute of Technology split a doubleheader against Defiance
College on Saturday to earn a series win in the first Heartland
Collegiate Athletic Conference weekend of the
season.
The Fightin' Engineers won the opener 5-0 behind the effort of junior pitcher Jim Bob Schuler (Salem/North Harrison) (pictured). His effort included six strikeouts with just three hits allowed in the win.
Schuler allowed just three singles and two walks with six strikeouts to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Offensively in the opener, senior Chris Stemple (Mount Vernon) and sophomore Bobby Newman (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) slapped two hits each to lead the offense. Stemple had two singles and one RBI, while Newman added a double and scored once.
Sophomore Nick Pilipovich (Terre Haute/North) added two RBIs and a single. The Engineers scored three runs in the second frame to take an early lead, then scored two insurance runs in the sixth.
In the nightcap, Defiance scored seven runs in the ninth inning to rally and capture an 11-9 victory to secure a split. Senior Gannon Sadzeck (Crystal Lake, Ill.) tossed five strong innings to put the Engineers ahead by a 6-3 margin after five frames prior to the Defiance rally.
Offensively, sophomore Will Burchett (Mokena, Ill.) and Newman slapped three singles each to lead Rose-Hulman. Newman recorded two RBIs and scored one run.
Four Engineers had two hits each in game two. Stemple had two singles, two runs and one RBI. Freshman Andrew Benitez (Mililani, Hawaii) added two singles and scored two runs. Sophomore Donald Stopka (Grayslake, Ill./Carmel Catholic) contributed two singles and two RBIs, and freshman John Krasich (Westfield) had a double, single and scored once.
Rose-Hulman stands 12-5 overall and 2-1 in league play, while Defiance is 4-12 overall and 1-2 in conference games. The Engineers travel to Earlham College for a three-game series next Saturday and Sunday.