MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – Since the year 1882 in Major League Baseball, players have only hit for the cycle (a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game) a total of 330 times. On a cold and blustery Saturday afternoon at Cooper Park, Millersville senior catcher Luke Trainer achieved the rare feat in game one of a doubleheader against Clarion University—and added 8 RBIs in the process.

His exploits were part of an 18-5 game one victory and the Marauders completed the sweep with an 8-3 game two win after the game was called due to darkness in the sixth inning. Trainer was just one of many Marauders who brought the good lumber to the ballpark on Saturday; fifth-year senior Cole Friese scattered five hits, four runs scored, and three RBIs between both games, while transfer Pete Vaccaro, suiting up for the first time in black and gold, started both contests at first base and finished his day with four hits, three runs scored, and two RBIs.
 
On the mound, the Marauder arms did their best to warm up to game action and prepare themselves for the coming weeks. Alex Mykut started game one and tossed three innings, giving up three earned runs (including a first inning homer to Clarion's Thomas Lavin, who also tagged Mykut with a two-run single in the third) but the junior struck out four Golden Eagles and picked up his first win of the season.

Senior Jeff Taylor got the ball to begin game two and was just about as efficient as possible in his three innings of work. He exited the game after 37 pitches, struck out three, did not give up a hit, and got the win for his efforts.
 
Saturday's doubleheader marked the first time the Marauders have opened the season at home since 2007 (when the team hosted Mercyhurst for a single game), and the Ville has not had a 2-0 start to a spring since the 2017 season.
 
GAME ONE (MILLERSVILLE 18, CLARION 5)
• Clarion struck first, surprising the Marauders with the aforementioned Thomas Lavin solo homer to take the lead in the top of the first, and the Marauder response finally came in the bottom of the second. Bren Taylor was beaned by Clarion starter Jeremy Frazier to begin the half-inning, and the Marauders followed it up with consecutive walks from Justin Taylor and Cole Houser. With the bases loaded, Pete Vaccaro came through in just his first at-bat as a Marauder, singling to left and tying up the game.
• Two batters later, Cole Friese singled in two more Marauders to make it a 3-1 game. After Jimmy Losh walked to load the bases again, Luke Trainer crushed a ball to left center that cleared the fence for a grand slam and completed a huge seven-run inning.
• Clarion pulled back three runs to keep the game within reach, but the Marauders offense broke it wide open in the fifth inning. Freshman Cole Houser drew a walk and stole second base to set the table once again for Vaccaro, who doubled to left, drove him in, and made it a 9-4 game. The aggression on the basepaths continued, as Vaccaro swiped third and trotted home after another RBI single from Friese. Trainer brought home Friese and freshman right fielder Zach Chowansky after a mammoth double to right field, and Bren Taylor made it back-to-back extra base hits with a double of his own that allowed Trainer to score.
• The rest of the fifth inning's magic came from two pinch hitters; Tyler Wright stepped in and roped an RBI single up the middle, and then Mark Miller—a redshirt junior who has dealt with multiple injuries and rehabs during his Marauder career—sent a screamer out to left center that almost bounced off the scoreboard for a two-run homer.
• Trainer completed his cycle in the sixth inning after driving the ball to dead center, over the head of Clarion's Matt Privette, and hustling all the way around to third for the triple.
• Kris Pirozzi was one of four Millersville relievers to handle the rest of the game after Mykut's exit and baffled hitters over his two innings—in which he did not allow a hit and tallied one strikeout.
• Bren Taylor and Jimmy Losh each collected two hits and scored two runs in game one.

GAME TWO (MILLERSVILLE 8, CLARION 3)
• Fifth-year senior shortstop Eric Callahan sparked the Marauder offense in game two, doubling to left center in the bottom of the first and was promptly driven in by Trainer, whose bat remained scorching hot as he smoked an RBI single to center field.
• Jeff Taylor was cruising on the mound and the Millersville offense had its big inning in the third—just prior to his exit. Five Marauders singled in the inning (Friese, Trainer, Bren Taylor, Vaccaro, and Justin Taylor) but Taylor's was the critical one; it was looped into right center with the bases loaded and drove in three runs. The sophomore also started both of Saturday's games at third base and—alongside Friese and Trainer—were the only Marauders to have multiple hits in game two.
• Paul Wilson was solid in relief of Jeff Taylor, going two innings and striking out four Clarion batters. Bobby Dorta and Christian Wingard also made the walk from the bullpen to get some work in before the game was eventually called due to darkness after the top of the sixth inning.
 
REACTION FROM COACH JON SHEHAN
• On Luke Trainer's cycle and huge day: "First time in 14 years that I can remember anybody on either team hitting for the cycle, in any game I've been in. It's pretty special. That was pretty cool. He had a tremendous day. He had full plate coverage, hit four different pitches hard, is a mature hitter, and has a great approach."
• Overall impressions from the cold weather doubleheader: "I think it was a little tough for the bullpen arms coming in to stay warm. Guys fell behind a little bit and that's something we'd like to clean up, we had a lot of free passes and a couple hit-by-pitches so that's something we'll work on and get better. Starting pitching was very good today, Mykut did a nice job and guys like Jeff Taylor and Paul Wilson looked like conference starters. Pirozzi had a good day out of the bullpen as well. Overall I'm happy and it was a good start."
• On being back on the field playing baseball: "Feels unbelievable. I just want to say thank you to our administration for really working hard to fight for the kids and to find a way to get them out here. I know there are a lot of schools that aren't playing and we're blessed to be out here."

NOTES
• Millersville has now won seven straight games versus Clarion University by a combined total of 74-15.
• The 26 runs scored in the first two games of the season is the highest Millersville total since way back in 1997, when the Marauders scored 27 in a two-game sweep at Bowie State. 
• Every Marauder hitter that registered an at-bat in either game reached base at at least one time.
 
UP NEXT
• Millersville returns to Cooper Park for a single nine-inning game against Chestnut Hill on Friday, March 12 at 3 p.m.