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Behind a complete game from Jimmy Malone, the Bearcat baseball team won its first game of 2018, an 11-2 victory over Husson College in Winter Haven, Florida.

Malone was strong in the early going, retiring the first 8 batters he faced.  In the fourth inning, he gave up a single and a wild pitch with one out, and the first run of the game scored on a two-out single.  The Eagles then loaded the bases, but Malone came up with a key strikeout to end the inning and keep it a one-run game.

SVC got on the board in the top of the fifth.  Shane Fajt singled with one out, then moved to second on a wild pitch.  He advanced to third on a groundout by Tanner Yard, then scored on an infield single by Matt Morrone, tying the game.

The Bearcats broke the game open in the six, with 7 runs on just three hits.  Patrick McElfish, Ramon Milke and Parker Janosko all walked to load the bases, then after a pitching change, Fajt walked to bring in the go-ahead run.  Yard hit a sharp grounder to third, but the throw to the plate attempting to force the runner was wide, and the error made it 3-1.  Eddie Kilkeary then hit a 2-run single to make it a 5-1 game, followed by an RBI double from Bobby Finn that made the score 6-1.  After another pitching change, McElfish, who had led off the inning, drove home two more runs with a single, giving SVC an 8-1 lead.

After Husson (1-2) got a run in the top of the 7th, Morrone had an RBI single in the bottom of the inning, and Finn led off the 8th with a home run, increasing the lead to 10-2.  An RBI single by Janosko later in the 8th brought home the final Bearcat run.

It was more than enough offensive support for Malone, who went the distance scattering six hits, walking two and striking out five.  

Saint Vincent is now 1-1 on the year and will return to action on Tuesday (March 6) facing Central College at 9AM in Chain O'Lakes Stadium.