Box Score 1 | Box Score 2


AUBURNDALE, Florida - The Benedictine University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Anderson University on Saturday afternoon.

BENEDICTINE 8, ANDERSON 6 - GAME ONE
For the second consecutive game to open the season, Benedictine rallied from an early deficit to win, twice rallying from down two runs.

Anderson continued an early trend to the season. Serving as the visiting team, the Ravens struck for two runs in the top of the first against starter Pat Cashman, who making his college debut after missing all of last year due to injury. Cashman received some help from his defense in the first as a double play, the first of three in the game, doubled off a runner from second on a liner with just one away.

Benedictine continued a similar trend with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to immediately rally. Tim Hendricks led off the game by reaching on an error and moved to third when Nick Karakosta posted a ground-rule double into the left field corner that may have scored the first run before it bounced over the wall. Ryan Mullin, the next batter, put Benedictine on the board with a single through the box. John Cervantes tied the affair with a sacrifice fly.

Anderson (2-5) again struck for a pair in the top of the third, but a caught stealing helped avoid further damage behind Cashman. The Eagles slowly chipped away with a single tally in the bottom of the frame on a Brandon Clark RBI single. Benedictine took the lead for good with a five-run fourth. Mullin again logged an RBI single to even the game and with the bases loaded, Clark delivered the big blow with a grand slam to left, the first homer of the season for the Eagles.

Anderson, who battled the defending national champions tough in a pair of close defeats earlier this season, chipped away by scoring two in the sixth to chase Cashman but could get no closer as Matt Vucovich came out of the bullpen to record the save.

Cashman allowed six runs on eight hits in his debut, but earned the victory. The righty struck out five. Vucovich shut the door with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief. Benedictine slugged 12 hits for the second consecutive 10+ hit showing. Mullin led the way with a three-hit showing while Clark drove home five. Clark, along with Tim Hendricks and Tim Gindville, collected two hits in the win.

ANDERSON 5, BENEDICTINE 2 - GAME TWO
The Eagles could not solve Anderson starter Jake Eaton in the second contest, losing for the first time this season.

Anderson, serving as the home team in game two, opened a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second by virtue of an RBI double. The Ravens received four RBI doubles in the contest. Benedictine quickly tied the game with run in the top of the third without a hit. Three consecutive two out walks loaded the bases before a wild pitch brought home Tim Hendricks.

Ty Anderson received the start for Benedictine but could not escape the third as Anderson strung together three straight doubles to open a 4-1 edge. The Eagles managed just six hits in the game and posted only three in the first six frames. Anderson put up another run in the fourth off reliever Spencer Lehmann to go up 5-1.

Tim Hendricks homered the opposite way to left in the fifth to account for the final run. Anderson's Jake Eaton struck out nine in six innings of work. Eaton fanned the side in the sixth, working around a two-out infield single from Mike Luschen, who started for the first time this season.

Eaton exited following six innings and Benedictine was able to place the tying runs on base in the seventh thanks to singles from Steve Cocat, Kevin Hendricks and Ryan Mullin, but a strikeout closed the affair.

Nick Mishevich put together two blank innings as the third pitcher of the game and fifth of the day for the Eagles. Tim Hendricks and Luschen each posted two hits in the defeat.

Benedictine (2-1) will face Grinnell on Sunday afternoon at Chain of Lakes in a 3:30 p.m. single nine-inning contest.