The John Carroll University baseball team has received several strong performances from its starting pitchers. Thursday would be no exception.
 
Junior Brandon Maddern turned in his second strong start of the year as the Blue Streaks cruised to a 12-2 win over Baruch in Ft. Myers, Fla.
 
"Brandon did what we keep asking those guys to do," said assistant coach Bobby Bell, who serves as the team's pitching coach. "We ask to get ahead in the count with first pitch strikes and two of the first three. He had 25 of 30 today, first pitch strikes. Anytime any of our guys do that they're going to have a lot of success. On top of that Brandon was keeping everything low, so he's going to succeed."
 
The left-hander fired eight shutout innings only allowing three hits. He ran into a jam in the sixth loading the bases but was able to escape. Maddern regrouped retiring the next six Bearcat hitters getting the last three via strikeouts in the eight.
 
Said Bell, "When you have command, you just have to step off and refocus. His command was so good today. Once he re-gathered his focus it was back to it like nothing ever happened.
 
John Carroll jumped on Baruch starter Zachary Uher for three runs in the first. JCU's first three batters reached via singles. David Crowley plated Rob Cifelli for the game's first run. From there, the Blue Streaks took care of miscues by the Bearcats. Bobby Sabatino and Crowley both would come in to score on Bearcat errors.
 
"We've got to get better," said head coach Marc Thibeault. "No questions asked, our offense has to get better. I know we scored some runs today and Baruch helped us out. We have to do a much better job with runners in scoring position if we want to compete at a high level like we do."
 
The Blue Streaks extended the lead to four in the bottom of the second. Cifelli legged out an infield single with David Lykens coming in to score on the play.
 
John Carroll pushed the lead to five in the fifth. Mark Huddle plated Sabatino on a sacrifice fly.
 
The Blue Streaks capitalized again on another Bearcat miscue in the seventh. John Carroll loaded the bases with no outs. Peguero Adams, on in relief, snared Huddle's line drive. Attempting to double-up Sabatino, the right-hander sailed his throw into left.
 
JCU would continue to extend its lead in the eighth erupting for six runs to make the score 12-0. The first seven hitters of the inning reached base. Monroe Donnelly crossed first on a wild pitch. The heart of the order capitalized on the rest. Crowley charged an opposite-field single to the fence in left to be followed by a three-run double from Tyler Gentile. Chris LaLiberte knocked in the sixth run of the frame on a ground out.
 
Gentile led the Blue Streaks at the plate finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Cifelli and Crowley each had three hits in the contest.
 
John Carroll evened its record at 3-3 with the win while Baruch fell to 0-3.
 
The Blue Streaks will play two 9-inning games on Friday at Terry Park in Ft. Myers, Fla. John Carroll will play Alvernia at noon and Finlandia at 3 p.m. The Alvernia game is a switch as the Blue Streaks were originally slated to play Finlandia in a twinbill.