LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Milwaukee Area Technical College responded with authority Friday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader from Marian University's Ancilla College at Loeb Stadium to rebound from two losses earlier in the week. The Stormers won the opener 13–4 and closed the day with a 13–3, six‑inning victory to improve to 3–5 overall.
MATC's offense set the tone in both games, stringing together timely hits and capitalizing on scoring opportunities to regain momentum after Wednesday's setbacks. The Stormers' pitching and defense held steady throughout the afternoon, allowing just seven total runs across the two contests.
"The boys played much cleaner baseball and were able to handle the weather elements," MATC head coach
Caleb Bounds said. "It was nice to come out with energy, and we had great baseball being played in multiple facets. In Game 1, every single guy had at least one hit, and in Game 2 we were able to win every single inning. It's a great sign moving into our last weekend of non‑region games."
Game 1: MATC 13, Ancilla 4 (7 innings)
MATC erupted for eight runs in the second inning and never looked back, rolling to a 13–4 win in the opener.
Marian struck first with an RBI single in the bottom of the first, but MATC answered immediately with an eight‑run second inning on five hits. The Stormers tied the game on an error, took the lead on a
Blake Bugher RBI single, and extended it when
Jaiden Jung's RBI fielder's choice brought home two more after a throwing error at third.
Tyler Lee added an RBI single to make it 5–1, followed by a
Payten Jibben two‑RBI triple and a
Brady Johnson sacrifice fly to cap the inning at 8–1.
MATC pushed the margin to 11–1 in the third. A leadoff walk to
Peyton Flees set up a
Lucas Hernandez RBI triple, and Bugher added an RBI groundout before
Carson Sieler scored on a passed ball.
Marian plated three in the fourth on a fielder's choice and a two‑run triple, but MATC answered again in the fifth when
Gavin Garnica ripped a two‑RBI double to make it 13–4.
On the mound,
Nate Birkhimer earned the win after working four innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits with five walks and three strikeouts.
Alex Dvorak followed with two scoreless innings of relief, striking out two while issuing two walks. Vinny Cameranesi closed the game with a clean seventh, striking out two without allowing a hit.
At the plate, Garnica went 3‑for‑5 with two RBIs, one run scored and a double. Bugher finished 2‑for‑4 with two RBIs, one run scored and a double of his own. Hernandez added a 1‑for‑3 line with two RBIs, a triple and two runs scored.
Game 2: MATC 13, Ancilla 3 (6 innings)
MATC scored in every inning and completed the sweep with a 13–3, six‑inning win.
Ancilla opened the scoring with a two‑RBI double in the top of the first, but MATC answered immediately with a three‑run bottom half. After a leadoff hit‑by‑pitch, a walk and another hit‑by‑pitch loaded the bases,
Payten Jibben ripped a two‑RBI double to put the Stormers in front.
Hayden Fellows followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to make it 3–2.
MATC extended the lead in the second when a leadoff walk to
Carson Sieler set up an RBI double from
Jaiden Jung. Two additional runs scored on a defensive error, pushing the margin to 6–2. Another leadoff walk—this time to
Blake Bugher—led to a
Peyton Flees RBI single in the third, stretching the lead to 7–2.
The Stormers added another run in the fourth on a defensive miscue to make it 8–2. Ancilla trimmed the deficit to 8–3 in the fifth after back‑to‑back walks by
Jerry Vasek set up an RBI single, but MATC responded again in the bottom half. Jibben singled home a run, another scored on a catcher's error, and Fellows added an RBI single to push the lead to 11–3.
MATC closed out the run‑rule victory with two more in the sixth, capped by a game‑ending RBI sacrifice fly from Sieler that scored Flees.
At the plate, Jibben went 3‑for‑3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Fellows finished 1‑for‑3 with three RBIs, while Flees went 3‑for‑4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a triple.
On the mound, Vasek earned the win, allowing four hits and three runs (one earned) over four innings with four walks and six strikeouts. Jibben closed the final two innings with scoreless relief, giving up just one hit with no walks and four strikeouts.
UP NEXT
MATC (3-5) returns to action this weekend with a four‑game road series at Moberly Area Community College. The Stormers and Greyhounds will play a doubleheader Friday at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., followed by another twinbill Saturday at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Moberly, Mo.
