Box Score As snow continues to blanket Northeastern Ohio, it was only fitting that the John Carroll University baseball team opened up its spring break trip in the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Backed by nine runs in the final two innings John Carroll won its Florida opener 13-5 over Bluffton on Monday afternoon at South Regional Park.

The Blue Streaks utilized timely hitting and capitalization on opponent mistakes to take lead in top of the eighth inning. Robby Cifelli blasted a 2-out double to left center to put the Blue Streaks back on top. Two batters later Mitchell Herringshaw singled to right to make it a 4-run JCU lead at 8-4.

The offense was just getting rolling.

One inning later the Blue Streaks sent 10 men to the plate and scored five insurance runs in breaking the game wide-open. All of the damage came once again with two outs. Mark Huddle started the rally with a 2-out single. Back to back walks by Jake Schoch and Cifelli loaded the bases but not before Jake Miller came in to score on a wild pitch. John Carroll's two, three and four hitters made the Beavers pay thus clinching the game. Bobby Sabatino ripped a double down the right field line to bring in two runs. Herringshaw followed suit driving in two more runs with a single.

"I think that basically was our approach where we were doing our best to try and separate with the 4-run lead," said head coach Marc Thibeault. "We wanted to be relentless and what you saw was guys at second getting some really good secondary leads. Our guys did an excellent job with two strikes in cutting down strikeouts and putting the ball in play."

Trailing 4-1 in the top of the fifth inning the offense woke up. Taking advantage of having the inning extended courtesy of a Bluffton error, the Blue Streaks made the Beavers pay.

"I was actually kind of glad for a little bit that we were down to see how we respond to that situation and come back," said Thibeault. "It's a learning process down here and hopefully our guys will take away if you get down a few you have to win the first three (innings), the middle three (innings) and the last three (innings) and that's very important."

Sabatino reached via an error by Bluffton's Mike Castro. JCU was then able to get to Beaver starter Nate Simmons who preceded to walk Herringshaw on four straight pitches. Jimmy Spagna then brought both runners in to score clubbing a double to leftfield. Chet Lauer followed suit mashing a double to the fence in left to tie the game up.

John Carroll struck first in the top of the fourth inning. Faced with a prime opportunity to do damage David Lykens drove in the game's first run with a bases-loaded single with one out. The Blue and Gold were poised for more as Lauer attempted to tag on Mark Huddle's fly out but was gunned down at the plate by Bluffton's David Ianiro.

The Blue and Gold's early lead would not hold as Aaron Lapaglia ran into a jam in the bottom of the fourth inning. The sophomore hit two Beaver hitters. Shortstop Mike Castro laced a deep 1-out single to right center to give Bluffton the 2-1 lead. Two pitches later Christian Vail turned on the pitched to rope a triple down the right field line. He would come in to score to cap the 4-run inning.

Lapaglia would regroup. The right-hander set down Bluffton 1-2-3 in the fifth inning. He ran into a jam  in the sixth inning allowing a leadoff double followed by a single. Lapaglia bore down and picked off Vail at first base before striking out the next Beaver hitter. Lapaglia received help on the final out of the inning with a hard-charging Mark Huddle tracking down the slow-rolling grounder.

Said Thibeault, "That was a grind-out type effort. He started out really strong and did a pretty good job. He struggled a little bit where he left the ball up and gave up some 2-strike hits. Then he kind of settled in and it was a blue-collared approach. He lost it and worked super hard to be able to get it back. He gave us a really good performance. What was good was that outing right there gives us the ability to be deeper pitching-wise in the middle of the week."

Lauer and Herringshaw led the offense on the day. Lauer finished 5 for 6 at the plate while Herringshaw drove in four runs. Lapaglia picked up his first win of the season pitching eight strong innings and striking out four. All nine starters reached base during the game.

"Chet was in the middle of the field," said Thibeault. He hit the ball on the line and on the ground. He executed when he was at the plate. He got a good pitch his first couple of pitches. He attacked the fastball early which was what their starter was doing. He hit the back of the baseball well and executed the way we needed him to."

John Carroll faces a quick turnaround and will head on the road for a doubleheader tomorrow. The Blue Streaks take on Widener at 10 a.m. before squaring off with Augustana at 1 p.m. Both games will take place in Ft. Myers, Fla.