Box Score

            Valparaiso used 11 extra base hits and runs in six of eight innings to defeat Cedarville 13-6 on Tuesday afternoon at Emory G. Bauer Field.

            Matt Lenski (Milwaukee, Wis./Marquette University H.S.) homered twice on his way to three hits while Andrew Quinnette (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo H.S.) and Dan DeBruin (Combined Locks, Wis./Kimberly H.S.) each registered three extra base hits a piece.  Quinnette had three doubles while DeBruin had two triples and a two-bagger.

            Leading 3-0 in the third, Quinnette’s first second double drove home Josh Wallace (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine H.S.) and Lenski followed with a two-run shot to increase the lead to 6-0.  Lenski’s solo blast in the fifth followed by a DeBruin run-scoring double made it an eight run Crusader lead before Cedarville found the scoreboard.

            The Yellow Jackets batted around and plated five runs in the sixth, only three of which were earned.  Valpo answered with three more in the seventh, one on a DeBruin triple and two more on Brett Bivens (Battle Creek, Mich./Lakeview H.S.) first collegiate homerun to leftfield.

            Cedarville added one more unearned run in the eighth and Valpo scored two more in the bottom of the inning, one on a Quinnette double and the other on a John Giusti (Coventry, R.I./Coventry H.S.) sacrifice fly.

            Valpo finished the game with 18 hits, including a 4-for-5 game by Quinnette.  DeBruin, Lenski, and Giusti also had three hits a pice in the victory for the Brown and Gold.

            Bryce Shafer (Wabash, Ind./Northfield H.S.), the first of five Valpo hurlers, earned the win (3-4), striking out five in two innings of work.  Crusader pitchers struck out 13 Yellow Jackets on the day.  Andrew Lockridge (4-4) suffered the loss for Cedarville (21-29), working the first three innings allowing six runs on nine hits.

            Valparaiso (18-30, 8-10 Horizon League) will wrap up the 2008 regular season this weekend as the Crusaders head to Chicago, Ill. for a key three-game weekend series with UIC.  First pitch of Friday night’s single game is set for 6:05 p.m. with Saturday’s doubleheader starting at 1:05 p.m.