Box Score
As home openers go, the John Carroll baseball team proved to be gracious hosts to their visitors from Denision University.

Too gracious it turns out. The Big Red dominated the Blue Streaks on a beautiful but cold Wednesday afternoon, handing JCU a 17-4 loss.

Denison was ready to play as soon as the team stepped off the bus. The squad started off the game by tabbing three runs in the first off JCU starter Vincent Trivisonno.

Thanks to a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bobby Sabatino, the Blue Streaks answered back with a run in the bottom of the first as Robby Cifelli crossed the plate to make the game 3-1.

But the game got out of hand for the Blue and Gold in the third. Denison shortstop Kyle Clemmenson started off the seven-run inning with a one-out double. Five of the next six Big Red hitter notched hits and eventually scored, putting the Blue Streaks in a hole they were unable to climb out of.

Both teams turned to a number of pitchers, as Denison head coach Mike Deegan called upon seven different hurlers over the course of the game. The pitching-by-committee approach worked out well, as the Blue and Gold were limited to five hits on the afternoon -- and just one through the first six frames.

On the flipside, JCU head coach Marc Thibeault turned to five arms to complete the contest. Brandon Lucas and Brandon Maddern each made his first appearance of the season. Maddern, a towering (6-9) freshman, showed some solid stuff, striking out four opposing batters. The freshman held the Big Red to three hits and zero runs in three innings of work.

For Denison (8-8),which has now won six of its last eight games, Clemmenson led the charge on offense. The senior notched four hits and four runs batted in, crossing the plate three times in the contest. Big Red left fielder Georgie Montes also had a good day, hitting three of six with three RBI, while also pitching a scoreless eighth inning.

The loss dropped John Carroll's record to 13-8.