Haczynski Impressive in Start; PNW Baseball Takes Down SVSU, 10-8
HAMMOND, Ind. – In his first collegiate start, freshman Brandon Haczynski (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) pitched well in helping lead the Purdue Northwest baseball team to a 10-8 victory over Saginaw Valley State University (Mich.) in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action Saturday afternoon at Albert’s Diamond Jewelers Field in Dowling Park in Hammond, Ind. Braving wet and cold conditions, Haczynski earned his first collegiate victory (1-0) throwing 6.1 innings and allowing four hits, two runs (both earned) and two walks with a pair of strikeouts.
Sophomore Alex Batistatos (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) had the hot bat for PNW Saturday going 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and three RBI. Senior Jacob Lane (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) and freshman Kevin McCune (Munster, Ind./Andrean) each finished Saturday with a pair of runs scored.
After three scoreless innings to start the game, the Pride scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning off a throwing error by the Cardinals and on a RBI groundout. SVSU used a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit in half, 2-1. However, Batistatos sparked a three-run frame in the top of the fifth with a RBI single to left field. Freshman Darius Kendall (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) added a RBI single in the fifth as well, while Batistatos later scored the third run of the inning on a wild pitch.
Sophomore Hunter Thorn (Portage, Ind./Portage) extended Purdue Northwest’s lead to 6-1 in the top of the seventh with a RBI single up the middle. Saginaw Valley State scored a run off a RBI single in the bottom half of the seventh, but Kendall and senior Jonny Albers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) both hit RBI singles in the top of the eighth to make the score, 8-2. SVSU continued to add runs scoring a pair in the bottom of the eighth off a RBI single and a RBI on a fielder’s choice.
Batistatos came up with a clutch two-out, two-run double down the right field line in the top of the ninth to push the lead to 10-4. The big hit proved critical as the Cardinals plated four runs in the bottom of the ninth. Junior Joe Davi (New Lenox, Ill./Joliet JC/Lincoln-Way Central) recorded his fourth save of the season securing the game’s final two outs and allowing no hits, runs or walks with a strikeout.
Purdue Northwest (13-13 overall/6-9 GLIAC) wraps up its conference series with Saginaw Valley State on Sunday, April 15, with a single, nine-inning game. Sunday’s game is now slated for an 11 a.m. CT start at Dowling Park.