Greenwood, S.C. - Lander's Alex Moore threw six shutout innings and the Bearcats knocked out Millersville ace
Eli Nabholz in the fourth on the way to a 7-1 win Friday evening. The game was Millersville's season opener while Lander improved to 2-3.
Kaylor Kulina led off the game with a single to center, but that was Millersville's last hit until Dominic Haradway's single one out into the seventh. Moore, who beat No. 2 Tampa in the season opener, struck out 10 and gave up only Kulina's single through six innings.
"Our right-handed hitters couldn't pick up his slider at all," said Millersville head coach
Jon Shehan. "It was a pretty deceptive pitch. He kept going to it. He was one of the better arms we've seen a long time."
Carson Jones' RBI single started Lander's scoring in the second. The home team added three in the third, and Josh Gregory's solo homer in the fourth marked the end of Nabholz's day. Nabholz gave up five runs on six hits and two walks through 3 2/3, striking out six.
"We had beat some guys with fastballs and got into a bit of a pattern with first-pitch fastballs," said Shehan. "We got beat on breaking balls when we shouldn't have gotten beat on breaking balls and got beat on fastballs when we should have thrown breaking balls. It really wasn't a bad outing. He should have got out of (the third inning). He got a double-play ball and it bounces right over Kaylor's head. It's baseball."
Millersville never did solve Moore, but the Marauders scored one off reliever Connor Campbell in the eighth when Kulina drove in
Mark Miller with his second hit of the game. The Marauders threatened to score more, putting runners on second and third with two outs, but shortstop Vincent Addona ended the inning when he backhanded a
Ben Snyder chopper deep in the hole and threw a strike to first to end the inning.
"I thought we put some really good swings on the ball against their relievers," said Shehan. "(
Dominic Hardaway) hit a ball straight into the wind and that ball easily leaves the ballpark. I was happy with some of the ABs after Moore left the game. Hopefully we can capitalize on that and keep it going to tomorrow."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Kulina recorded two of Millersville's three hits.
Cole Friese and
Jimmy Cain both drew a walk.
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Tyler Yankosky struck out seven and gave up one run on two hits and four walks in three innings of relief work.
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John Turner, who had served as a catcher for his first two seasons, made his collegiate pitching debut in the eighth inning. Turner pitched 2/3 of an inning, giving up one run on a hit and two waks.
NOTES
• Lander came into the game battle-tested with its previous four games coming against No. 2 Tampa, No. 9 North Greenville and No. 19 Mount Olive.
• Friday marked Millersville's second consecutive opening day loss after winning three in a row from 2015-2017.
• The last time Millersville and Lander played was in the 2016 NCAA Division II Championship semifinals--a game Millersville won 4-2.
• The last time Millersville gave up seven or more runs in a season opener was in 2009's loss to UNC Pembroke.
QUOTABLE
"It was pretty typical for a season opener. The offense sputtered a bit and the pitchers have to get a feel for the clay mound again. Eli is going to be fine. He is a professional who competes in every game. (Yankosky's) stuff was overpowering but just have to be in the zone more. Turner, the first time pitching was good. He throws a lot of strikes. He just has to get his sea legs under him." -
Jon Shehan.
UP NEXT
• Millersville plays Lander again on Saturday and Sunday.
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