Marauder Bats Come to Life in 8-4 Win Over California

Box Score

Johnstown, Pa. - Sophomore Jeff Heisey blasted two home runs, and starter Mike McMonagle threw a sterling seven innings to lead Millersville to an 8-4 win over California (Pa.) and into the PSAC Tournament semifinals against Mercyhurst. The Marauders now challenge the Lakers, who are unbeaten in the tourney, at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

For the third time in the PSAC Tournament, Millersville fell behind in the first inning. But the bats exploded for eight runs in the next five innings, and McMonagle (7-1) allowed one run on five hits and four walks over seven innings.

The elimination game win improved Millersville to 39-9 and moved it past the 1998 team's 38-win total for the second-most wins in school history. The 1998 team won Millersville's last PSAC Championship.

Millersville had been a quick-starting team all season but had not scored in the first two innings of either PSAC Tournament game until Friday. After Cal manufactured one off of McMonagle in the first, Millersville answered with two in the second. Mike August, who went 3-for-5 in the game, doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Corey Phelan and Carlos Medina provided a pair of productive ground outs to put Millersville in front. It was a lead they would not relinquish.

Heisey kept the offense rolling in the third with a leadoff home run that sailed high over Point Stadium's "Screen Monster." The Marauders tacked on another in the third and three in the fourth to extend the lead to 7-1. Heisey gave Cal a moment of deja vu in the sixth when he jacked another leadoff homer deep of the right field wall.

His two homers pushed his season total to seven, tying him for the team lead.

Cal managed to rally with three off of the bullpen in the eighth, but freshman Adam Zipko entered and escaped a bases loaded jam in the eighth, and worked a scoreless ninth to clinch Millersville's advancement. Zipko has now thrown 4.2 scoreless innings in two tournament appearances.

Cal, the defending tournament champs, had its season came to an end with a 30-18 record.

Fans can listen to Friday's game against Mercyhurst on MSBN and can also follow on live stats.

Print Friendly Version