The Benedictine University baseball team split a pair of crazy games at Millikin, taking down Hanover 11-7 in 10 innings before suffering an 18-9 loss to Cornell.
GAME ONE
George Betevis lifted a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to send the back-and-forth affair to extras before Benedictine struck four times in the extra frame to tally a wild win in the opener.
Benedictine led 2-0 behind a pair of runs in the first on a two-run single from
Nic Castrovillari. Hanover scored four times in the third to lead 4-2. Benedictine tied the game with two in the sixth on an RBI single from Betevis and a bases loaded from
Kevin Butler. Two more runs scored in the seventh on another RBI single from Betevis and a
Justin Nonnenmann RBI single. Hanover grabbed the lead in the eighth with three runs to jump ahead 7-6 before the crazy finish.
Conner Kendall worked five innings on the mound.
Steven Byrne, the fourth pitcher, earned the win with two scoreless. Castrovillari and Nonnenmann both notched three hits. Benedictine finished with eight. Betevis and Castrovillari both knocked in three.
Frank Magnelli scored three times.
GAME TWO
Cornell broke a 9-9 tie with an eight-spot in the seventh and added another in the eighth to force the split.
Benedictine did not lead but came from behind multiple times. Nonnenmann and
Kyle Campbell both homered in the contest.
Brennan Fisher and
Patrick Nelson both picked up three hits. Six different pitchers appeared in the defeat.
Benedictine (7-5) faces the host on Sunday to conclude the weekend.
