Britons sweep twinbill from Beloit on opening day

» GAME ONE BOX SCORE
» GAME TWO BOX SCORE

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – The Albion College baseball team enjoyed a successful opening day, sweeping Beloit (Wis.) College by scores of 15-7 and 10-9 at the Cape Coral Sports Complex.

In game one, Albion overcame a 3-1 deficit by scoring two runs in the second inning, eight runs in the third inning, and four runs in the fourth inning. Junior catcher Matt Cook (Lansing/Grand Ledge) ripped four hits, including a solo homerun in the first inning, a two-run single in the third, and a run-scoring single in the fourth. First-year leftfielder Cody Barkowski (Coldwater/Coldwater) collected two hits and three runs batted in with a homerun and a double. Senior second baseman Mark Flancbaum (Orchard Lake/West Bloomfield) drew a bases loaded walk and ripped a single and a run-scoring triple. Senior third baseman Mike Cieszkowski (Howell/Hartland) finished with two doubles and a single, and senior centerfielder Bret Gove (Clarkston/Clarkston) and shortstop Brian Sayers (Chelsea/Chelsea) scored two runs apiece.

Senior Steve Gordon (Plymouth/Salem) worked four innings on the mound to pick up the victory.

Albion got off to a good start in game two, taking a 5-0 lead three runs in the first inning and adding two in the second. Beloit rallied to claim a 7-5 lead by scoring three times in the third and four runs in the fourth. The Britons answered with four runs in the fourth and the game-winning run in the sixth. The game was called after the sixth inning because the game’s three-hour time limit has elapsed.

Offensively, Albion’s top three hitters – Flancbaum, Cook, and junior rightfielder Chris Trott (Plymouth/Salem) – had two hits apiece. Trott drove in three runs on a double and triple. Junior Matt Shook (Coldwater/Coldwater), coming on in a pinch-hitting role, laid down a bunt with two strikes in the count to drive in Cook with the winning runs.

On the mound, sophomore Matt Lipsey (Grand Ledge/Grand Ledge) kept the game within reach for Albion by allowing just one earned run in 1.2 innings of work. Sophomore Mike Pisha (Wixom/Walled Lake Central) worked a scoreless sixth to earn the decision.

Updated March 07, 2004 by Albion College Sports Information