Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Cancelled, cancelled and cancelled. Snow, rain and cold. With a barrage of schedule changes already in the books this season the John Carroll University and the 17th-ranked University of Mount Union baseball teams braved the elements and opened up league play with 32 degree temperatures in New Concord on Monday afternoon. In what was supposed to be John Carroll's home-opener, the games were moved to Muskingum for better playing conditions.
 
With a layoff of over two weeks the Blue Streaks showed no signs of rust taking game one 9-5 and having a clutch throw to throw out the would-be game-tying run in the second game to take the 2-1 win in the second game. John Carroll improved to 7-6, 2-0 OAC with the sweep while Mount Union fell to 10-3, 0-2 OAC.

"Both Aaron and Brandon did an excellent job of throwing strike one and controlling the count," said head coach Marc Thibeault. "They located well against a very aggressive Mount Union offensive. In turn it assisted our defense to play solid and stay focused in the tough weather elements. Nobody is cold when you're on offense and both guys worked quick with low pitch counts to get us in the dugout to hit."
 
Game One
Sophomore Aaron Lapaglia fired JCU's first 9-inning complete game in nearly five years and after letting a 4-run lead slip away the Blue Streaks fought back giving Lapaglia the 4-run cushion back en route to a 9-5 win.
 
Mount Union struck first in the second inning when Jeff Bennett scratched out an RBI ground out after Justin Jakubik clubbed a 1-out double and advanced to third in a wild pitch.
 
John Carroll came right back in the bottom of the frame to knot the score when Jimmy Spagna doubled to left field and came in to score on Chet Lauer's RBI single.
 
From there Lapaglia settled in. After allowing the Purple Raiders' leadoff hitter to reach in the third inning the sophomore retired 11 batters in a row. Helping his starter out was Lauer mowing down C.J. Stotler at second base to end the third inning.
 
The Blue Streaks struck for four runs in the fifth. Mark Huddle started the rally with a 1-out double and came in to score when Robby Cifelli singled through the right side. Bobby Sabatino and Spagna laced singles in the frame to plate two more runs. JCU's final run of the inning came on a suicide squeeze by Mitchell Herringshaw.
 
After allowing Mount Union to tie the score at five, John Carroll scored four runs in the eighth to take the 9-5 lead. Loaded the bases on three straight walks, Sabatino made the Purple Raiders' Wes Kemp pay with a 2-out, 2-run single to right field. The Blue and Gold added two more runs when Herringshaw sent a grounder under the glove of Mount Union shortstop Lee Grosscup.
 
Mount Union had tied the score at five in the top of the eighth on Grosscup's RBI single. The Purple Raiders had pulled within one with a 3-run seventh inning.
 
Lapaglia closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning including two strikeouts. He improved to 3-1 on the season. Sabatino and Spagna each finished with two hits at the plate with Sabatino driving in three runs.
 
Game Two
Brandon Maddern pitched into the ninth inning stifling the Purple Raiders only allowing four hits. Despite only having three hits of its own, the Blue Streaks two first inning runs were enough taking the 2-1 win to complete the sweep.

With the tying run on second base and one out in the ninth inning Jeff Bennett laced a single into centerfield. Cifelli came up firing nailing the would-be game-tying run at the plate with Lauer applying the tag.
 
From there Kevin Rosinski was able to force a comebacker by Connor Mathis to secure the win and pick up his second save of the year. Maddern improved to 2-0 only allowing seven hits and one earned run in eight innings of work. He was relieved in the top of the ninth after allowing a leadoff walk.
 
John Carroll struck for both of its runs in the bottom of the first. Lauer drove in both runs of the game after Cifelli and Sabatino had reached based to start the game.
 
Mount Union scores its lone run of the game in the fifth inning. Ricky Olasz hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring Justin Jakubik in for the Purple Raiders' lone run of the game.
 
The Purple Raiders threatened in the eighth inning loading the bases with one out. Maddern escaped inducing the 6-4-3 double play.

"Mount Union is the defending champion in the OAC," said Thibeault. "To compete and take two from them is a good start to league play. It's over and now we need to shift the focus to our next opponent."
 
John Carroll travels to Ohio Wesleyan for a 4 p.m. game on Thursday, March 27.