Freshman
Gavin Thorburn delivered the go-ahead two run single in the ninth inning in Game One and classmate
Ryan Bates tossed seven strong innings in Game Two as Siena Baseball swept its series-opening doubleheader at Miami (Ohio) to secure its first two wins of the season. The Saints took the opener 6-4 and the nightcap 5-1.
Game One: Siena 6, Miami (OH) 4
Siena (2-9) scored four unanswered runs to secure its first victory of 2023.
The Saints jumped ahead 2-1 in the third on a two-out, two-run double by freshman
Aiden Stewart. Miami (1-9) answered with a three-run fifth capped by a go-ahead two-run homer by Zach MacDonald to reclaim a 4-2 lead.
But staff ace
Arlo Marynczak settled down thereafter, and the Siena bats came up clutch late. Marynczak set down the final eight batters he faced following the home run – seven of which were retired by way of the K. The fifth-year registered a career-high 11 strikeouts over seven innings of work.
The Saints knotted it up at 4-4 in the sixth on an RBI groundout by
Matt Livingston and a game-tying two-out, two-run double by
Willie Schwarick. Siena put two in scoring position with one out in the decisive ninth, and Thorburn singled to left center for the winning hit.
Billy Rozakis (win) and
Noah Rodriguez (save) each tossed clean innings of relief to close out the victory.
Game Two: Siena 5, Miami (OH) 1
Bates scattered eight hits and just one run while walking three and striking out seven to secure his first collegiate win and complete the Saturday sweep for the Saints.
Siena scratched across single runs in the first and third innings before breaking things open with a three-run fifth.
Donovan Montgomery delivered a sacrifice fly, Livingston added an RBI single, and then capped the scoring when he crossed home plate on an RBI double by freshman
Danny Barbero.
That would be all the offense that Bates and classmate
Eddie Girtler needed, the latter of whom went the final two scoreless innings as the Saints clinched their first non-conference series victory since taking two of three at Stetson Feb. 23-25, 2019.
Siena will look to complete the series sweep Sunday at 1 p.m.