HOUSTON, Texas - Alex Mykut dealt for 5 2/3 innings, and
Matthew Williams and
Jimmy Kirk drove in five on a pair of home runs as Millersville baseball topped Saint Cloud State 7-2 in its final game of the weekend at Minute Maid Park.
The Marauders capped their opening weekend 2-1 while playing a pair of top-10 teams and three teams that played in NCAA regional tournaments last season. After allowing 28 runs in the first two games, Millersville was steadied by Sunday's stellar starting pitching outing from senior
Alex Mykut (1-0) and save from
Rece Ritchey.
"Mykut was excellent," said Millersville head coach
Jon Shehan. "He was efficient and threw three pitches on the plate. It was great to see him get off to a good start."
Mykut surrendered just two hits and fanned six, and Ritchey struck out six in 3 1/3. Neither pitcher allowed a walk after Millersville walked 18 in the first two games. Mykut sat down the first 15 batters that he faced. His perfect game bid was broken up in the sixth with a lead-off single followed by a double and sacrifice fly. At that time, Millersville held a narrow 2-1 lead, and with two outs, Ritchey punched out Cal James on a full-count pitch, stranding the tying run on base.
Ritchey retired St. Cloud State in order seventh, stranded a runner on third in the eighth, and navigated a ninth in which St. Cloud State pieced together three hits but mustered one run.
Matthew Williams staked the Marauders to a 2-0 lead in the first with his second home run of the weekend, but stringing together hits proved a challenge against St. Cloud State starter Payton VanBeck. He struck out 10 and allowed three hits in 5 2/3. But the Marauders got to the bullpen. With the Marauders holding a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh,
Jeff Sabater slapped an opposite-field single, plating
Justin Taylor. In the bottom of the eighth, Kirk mashed a three-run homer, and
Caleb Sturtevant adding some insurance with a sacrifice fly.
Williams concluded his opening weekend 6 for 12 with six RBIs, four runs and two homers.
"
Matthew Williams' approach was very good all weekend," said Shehan. "We know if he swings at good pitches to hit, he's got a chance to really help us in the middle of the lineup. So far, so good."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Amani Jones, Williams, Kirk, and Taylor all had two hits, accounting for eight of Millersville's nine. Taylor led the team with two runs scored.
MORE FROM SHEHAN
- "We were able to play in a Big League venue against great competition and win two out of three," said Shehan. "Even more important, we learned a lot about our club. We have things we need to improve upon. The challenging environment was perfect for us to assess where we are. We are looking forward to getting back to that process the next two weeks before we play again."
GAME NOTES
- Kirk's home run was his first since March 26, 2022 as he missed all of 2023 with an injury.
- Millersville also went 2-1 at Minute Maid Park in 2020, winning games one and three over Arkansas Tech and Arkansas-Monticello.
UP NEXT
- Millersville travels to Morehead City, N.C., for three games from Feb. 16-18. The Marauders play Assumption on Feb. 16 at 12 p.m.
