The Lindenwood Lions baseball team swept a doubleheader against the Avila Eagles Saturday afternoon at the Lou Brock Sports Complex. Lindenwood won the first game 10-0 and were victorious in game two 4-3 in eight innings.
Lindenwood got on the board first with a five run second inning. The frame started with three straight singles by Daniel Sandello, Carlos Pianetta, and Dylan Lowery. The first run came across the plate after Avila's pitcher, Chris Thomas, overthrew first base on Lowery's single. After the next two hitters struck out, Mike Moore and Shelby Anderson connected on back-to-back doubles to bring in four more runs.
The Lions threatened again in the third, but after loading the bases with just one out Avila was able to wiggle themselves out of trouble. Adam Peacock hit into a fielder's choice and Moore flew out to center.
Lindenwood added another tally in the fourth and closed out the game with four runs in the fifth.
Ryan Griffin started on the hill for the Lions and went five innings surrendering just three hits and struck out four. Leading the way for Lindenwood at the plate was Crispin Tarango with four RBIs and Moore who drove in three runs. Sandello and Pianetta also pitched in with a pair of hits.
Game two started with the Lions jumping out to a 1-0 lead after Peacock walked, then advanced to second on an error and to third on another error. Moore drove him in with a sacrifice fly to give Lindenwood the lead. Avila answered right back with a run in the top of the second to tie the score.
Avila took the lead in the third inning with a single run. The lead lasted just an inning after Lindenwood tied the score via a Zach Loraine triple and a RBI groundout by Pianetta. In the bottom of fifth, the Lions regained the lead when Moore hit a sacrifice fly to score Mario Parra.
Heading into seventh trailing by a run, the Eagles started the inning with a single by Ryan Herrig. After a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch, Matt Saragusa hit a sacrifice fly to right field to tie the score. The Lions were unable to win the game in the seventh and the contest headed into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth Tarango struck out the side to keep the game tied. To lead off the bottom of the eighth Peacock singled to bring in Moore. On the first pitch of the at bat Moore doubled into the left-centerfield gap to score Peacock all the way from first.
Peacock led the way for the Lions at the plate in game two going four for four and scoring the game-winning run. Moore drove in three runs and Pianetta also had a RBI.
After the two-game sweep the Lions moved their overall record to 15-12 and their HAAC mark to 8-2. Up next for the Lions is a road game against McKendree on Sunday afternoon.
