Wednesday, March 08, 2006

For the second straight day defensive miscues cost Valparaiso as the Crusaders dropped a 10-4 contest to IPFW in Bradenton, Fla. on Wednesday afternoon.

Valpo committed nine errors on Wednesday in the loss, making it 15 miscues in the last two days.

IPFW jumped out to an 8-0 lead through six innings before Valpo got on the scoreboard in the seventh. Brian Rzepka (South Bend, Ind./Penn H.S.) tripled and Michael Arensdorff (Park View, Iowa/North Scott H.S.) drove him home. After Colin Reynolds (Crookston, Minn./Central H.S.) got aboard via a base on balls, Matthew Augustine (Muskego, Wis./Muskego H.S.) drove in both runners with a pinch hit single. Augustine also drove in a run in the ninth with a sacrifice fly to conclude the Crusader scoring.

Kevin Kutansky (Schererville, Ind./Munster H.S.) and Josh Piazza (Niles, Ill./Notre Dame H.S.) each had two hits for Valpo while Nick Millspaugh had two hits and drove in two runs to lead IPFW (4-4).

Harvey Yergin (Akron, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) started and went 5.2 innings for the Crusaders, taking the loss by allowing eight runs and seven hits with just three of the runs being earned. Tyler Baatz recorded the win for IPFW.

Valpo (1-4) will face Yale on Thursday in Bradenton beginning at 1:30 p.m. CST.