Cougars Open Season with Win Against Pilots

LEESBURG, Fla. – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team (1-1, 1-1 CL) opened the 2023 season and Crossroads League Play against Bethel University (8-6, 1-1 CL) on Tuesday, February 28 down in Florida.

In game one, MVNU took the lead late after Zackary Hoop singled, bringing in a Cougar run. Maxwell Donawa picked up the win for the Cougars, allowing two hits and no earned runs in one inning of work in the eighth. Donawa then turned the ball over to Cruz McFadden who earned the save for MVNU.

Casey Kalman led the Cougar attack offensively, going deep in the fourth inning. As a team, MVNU had seven hits. Josh Pettit was strong on the mound for MVNU in the 3-2 win. Pettit went seven deep, allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out six at the plate.

Game two was a different story for the Cougars as the Pilots woke up offensively. Bethel scored four runs in the first four-innings and finished with nine total off of nine hits. Jarin Bertke drew the start on the mound for MVNU. The sophomore went four innings and allowed four hits and two earned runs. The righty struck out seven batters on the day.

Offense was hard to come by in the second game of the doubleheader for MVNU as it scored just two runs on three hits in the ballgame.

What's Next

MVNU finishes its Florida series against Bethel with two more on Wednesday, March 1 in Leesburg, Florida. First pitch is set for 12:00pm.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,000 students from 25 states and 11 foreign countries.