DECATUR, Ill. – The University of Dubuque baseball team closed the Millikin University Invite with a statement victory over Saint Mary's University (MN). Josh Rodge drove in three runs in the Spartans' 4-2 victory.
The Cardinals started hot, as their leadoff man drove a ball into the wind on a 3-2 count, just clearing the fence and giving them a 1-0 lead. Tanner Simmons worked around two walks and stranded a pair to keep the score 1-0 after the initial inning. The Cardinals had bases loaded in the third but Simmons caught a Cardinal looking, mitigating the threat. Ryan Turner led off the Spartans' fourth with a shot up the middle and scored when Alex Esser drove a pitch to the left-center field gap. Logan Cadenhead reached on an infield single to put two Spartans on with two outs. Rogde went down 0-2 quickly but drove a slider to left field on his 3-2 offering, plating both Esser and Cadenhead and giving the Spartans a 3-1 lead. Simmons cruised through his final two frames in the fourth and fifth. In the sixth, Esser worked an 0-2 walk and later scored on an RBI double by Rodge. Angel Reyes entered the game in the sixth and worked around two Cardinals hits in the sixth to post a scoreless frame. The Cardinals saw two runners reach with none out in the seventh and scored one on a fielder's choice but later induced a foul out to limit the damage. Pico entered the game with a two-run cushion in the ninth and promptly allowed a base hit. After inducing a weak ground ball for the first out, the tying run reached base on a hit batter. The runners advanced on a swinging bunt sacrifice, but Pico induced a lazy ground ball to the shortstop, who tossed the ball across the diamond to strand the tying run and secure the 4-2 victory.
Turner, Cadenhead, and Rodge all collected multiple hits during the weekend finale. Esser and Rogde tallied extra-base hits while combining to drive all four of the Spartans' runs in. Rogde and Turner both reached via hit by pitches and Rodge also stole a base. Simmons recorded the win, tossing five scoreless frames, allowing two hits, with his only blemish being the leadoff homer. Simmons struck out five during the contest. Reyes threw the next three innings, allowing four hits and one run before handing the ball to Pico, who worked around two baserunners to secure the save.
Up Next
The Spartans will return home for an afternoon contest against local foe UW-Platteville on Tuesday, March 17. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.
