Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Bloomington, Ind. - A six-run sixth inning propelled Valpo to a 12-6 victory over host Indiana. The Crusaders (7-8), which pounded out 16 hits, were led by Mike Arensdorff's three hits and three RBIs, and Kevin Perri's three hits and two RBIs. Valpo had seven doubles.

Four other Crusaders had multiple hits as Kevin Kutansky produced two hits and two RBIs, Jon Rupno had two hits and an RBI, Jeff Rickert belted two doubles and had an RBI, and Brian Rzepka tallied two hits.

Valpo began the scoring with two runs in the third. Perri drove in the first run with a single, plating Rickert, who had doubled. Arensdorff then lined an RBI single into center field, scoring Perri.

Indiana (13-6) took a 4-2 lead with a four-run fourth, keyed by Reggie Watson's two-run double.

The Crusaders sent 11 batters to the plate during their six-run uprising in the fifth to take an 8-4 advantage. Kutansky's two-run single scored Tyler Lowell and Perri, who had singled. Reynolds followed with an RBI double and Matt Augustine plated another with a fielder's choice groundout. Rupno pushed the fifth run of the frame across with a single and Lowell reached on the shortstop's error, which allowed Augustine to score.

Arensdorff's 6th-inning double scored Perri, who finished the game with four runs from his leadoff spot. Valpo increased its lead to 10-4 on Rickert's RBI double in the seventh inning.

The Hoosiers scored two runs in the eighth on consecutive bases loaded walks. Adam Knobel escaped the jam by recording a strikeout for the last out.

Valpo added two insurance runs in the ninth on consecutive RBI doubles by Perri and Arensdorff.

Crusaders' head coach Paul Twenge used five pitchers. Freshman Dallas Cawiezell (1-0), Valpo's third pitcher of the game, picked up the win with two scoreless innings. Kyle Obenauf started on the mound, also holding Indiana scoreless in 2 innings. Matt Gillikin (2 innings) and Chris Riley (1 2/3) also pitched in relief before Knobel hurled the final 1 1/3 innings.

Chris McCombs (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing four earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. Two of Valpo's runs were unearned as IU committed two errors. Valpo played an errorless game and turned two double plays.

Valpo will travel to Chicago to play UIC on Friday beginning at 3:05 p.m.