Box Score

If the season opener is any indication of how the 2009 season will play out, John Carroll University baseball fans might be in for a wild year.

After letting a 5-0 lead slip away, John Carroll would use a two-out RBI single by Brian Benander (Richmond Heights, OH, Cleveland St. Ignatius) to plate pinch runner Adam Milanovich (Rimersburg, PA, Union) with the winning run in an 8-7 victory over conference rival Muskingum College Sunday afternoon in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Paul O'Donnell was cruising through the first six innings of today's contest, allowing just one hit and striking out six as his offense scored five runs behind him. Benander had an RBI in the first and sixth innings, while Krainz drove in a run in the second. O'Donnell would leave the game with a five-run lead.

The trouble for the Blue Streaks began in the seventh, as the Muskies got on the scoreboard when Tyler Hardcastle hit the game's lone home run. That jolt seemed to wake the Muskies bats, as they would come up with four runs off a pair of JCU relievers in the top of the eighth to knot the score at 5-5.

Mike Carbo (Coral Springs, FL, J.P. Taravella) began the bottom of the eighth with a double, and then scored on Nenander's third RBI hit of the day. Matthew Pangallo (Crystal Lake, IL, Prairie Ridge) would drive home Benander on a fielder's choice to bump the Blue Streaks lead back up to two runs at 7-5.

Again, the Muskies would charge back. After getting the first two batters on, Tyler Gibbs greeted Conor Connell with a two RBI single that tied the score at 7-7. Connell would then  settle down and record three outs to give his offense a chance.

Christopher Cairo (Darien, IL, Hinsdale South) led off the bottom of the ninth with an infield single. Milanovich, who pinch ran for Cairo, moved to second on a sacrifice by John Hastings (Pittsburgh, PA, Fox Chapel). After Michael Krainz (Walton Hills, OH, Cleveland St. Ignatius) was intentionally walked, Carbo advanced both runners on a ground out to set up Benander's heroics.

Benander, in his first career start, went 3-5 with three runs scored and four RBI. Krainz also had a strong start to his season, going 2-3 with a run and an RBI. Connell picked up the victory in relief, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out one.