Saturday, March 29, 2003

Valparaiso, Ind. - Three Valpo pitchers turned in impressive performances as the Crusaders (6-9-1) swept a doubleheader from Butler by scores of 3-2 and 2-0. In the first game, Marc Boggio hurled a complete-game, three hitter and Kevin Kutansky drove in the winning run with a two-out double in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the nightcap, Elliott Gibbs and Adam Paetznick combined on the three-hit shutout. Gibbs struck out nine in 6 innings. Eric Snyder's RBI sacrifice bunt and a passed ball accounted for Valpo's runs. Snyder and Kyle Young had two hits each on the day.

Butler (9-13) scored two runs in the top of the second of the first game. Rex Eaton had an RBI single and Paul Beck followed with an RBI double during the frame.

Valpo countered with two runs in the bottom of the second. Following singles by Young and Kutansky, Snyder delivered an RBI single. Eddie Hannan then plated Kutansky with a sacrifice bunt.

Boggio (1-2), who fanned six and walked one, held the Bulldogs scoreless the rest of the way. After the second inning, Butler's Aaron Phillips (1-3) pitched three innings of shutout ball until Kutansky's double in the sixth scored pinch runner Ryan Eberhardt from first base. Eberhardt was running for Young, who had singled up the middle with two outs. Boggio retired the side in order to pick up his second complete-game of the season.

A senior righthander from West Bloomfield, Mich., Boggio was more effective as the game progressed, retiring 15 of the last 16 hitters.

In the second game, Gibbs, a freshman from Munster, Ind., was working on a no-hitter into the sixth until Tim Marks hit a one-out single deep in the hole at shortstop. Ryan Nance followed with a bloop single to left to load the bases before Gibbs (1-1) escaped by forcing Mike Rosen into a fielder's choice groundout.

The Crusaders scored both of their runs in the fifth off Butler starter Luke Behning (2-1). Brandon Sadler led off with a single and Nick Mazzone walked before Tyler Lowell advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Following an intentional walk to Kutansky, Snyder's sacrifice bunt was fielded by Nance, a first baseman, who threw late to the plate as Sadler slid in safely. Mazzone then scored an insurance run on a passed ball.

Paetznick earned his second save, pitching the final inning.

Boggio belted a double in the second game and now stands second on Valpo's all-time list with 55. He needs one to tie Mark Pedersen for the school record. Snyder was hit by two pitches today and now has a Mid-Continent Conference-leading 11 hit-by-pitches this season.

Valpo will play Butler in Indianapolis on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.