Box Score
A one-day hiatus was just what the doctor ordered for the John Carroll University baseball program.

After losing 13-11 to Penn State Altoona on Tuesday, the Blue Streaks bounced back with a 6-3 victory over Nebraska Wesleyan on Thursday evening at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, FL. Cameron Mayle tossed five innings of three-run ball, Nicholas Michel logged three shutout frames and Andrew Steele notched his second career save.

Dominic Mittiga tallied three hits and two RBIs, while Joe Charpentier recorded one run on two hits in the winning effort. The Blue and Gold is now 4-1 in Florida, and 6-2 on the 2018 campaign.

Offense came early and often for JCU, as Monroe Donnelly tripled in a run and David Ferguson ripped an RBI double. Patrick Keohane set the table in the frame, singling and stealing second base.

One inning later, Nebraska Wesleyan's Brody Murphy issued a pair of bases-loaded walks before allowing a two-run single to Mittiga. Charpentier – who made his 2018 Russmatt Classic debut – singled and advanced to second prior to the offensive production. An error on Tyler Winterstein charged Murphy with an unearned run.

Mayle controlled the damage despite six walks and six hits, leaving nine runners stranded. He allowed five consecutive baserunners in the third, but induced a popout and groundout to escape matters unscathed.

The culminating moment of Mayle's outing came when Spencer Sheer grounded out to Aaron Zawadzki, who made a run-and-gun play to set down the side in bang-bang fashion. Mayle finished with a line of 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R/ER, 6 BB, 3 K (99 pitches, 56 strikes, 56.7 percent, seven groundouts, four flyouts).

Enter Michel.

The freshman out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School shined in high-leverage situations, striking out Brook Johnson with runners at the corners in the sixth before forcing Owen Gubbels to fly out with runners at second and third in the seventh.

"During the high-leverage situations, I really just had to dial down and actually reset," said Michel. "I just had to locate the zone like the coaches and everybody was saying, find the string and that really helped me out in those situations."

Michel's eighth inning ended when Bryce Thomas missed third base on a double by Johnson.

Steele shut it down, getting Derek Kolbush to ground into a double play before striking out Wyatt Stute on a 1-2 heater. The three hurlers only surrendered eight hits over nine innings of work.

"I think [the pitchers] came in and we competed pretty well," Michel said. "I think our offensive guys still got on base, we couldn't capitalize, but we picked them up pretty well."

With six wins in its first eight games, John Carroll is making noise in the early stages of the season.

"It means a lot," said Michel of the program's strong start. "I'm just happy to be part of it. We have a great coaching staff and a great team."

The Blue Streaks will have a quick turnaround with an early start against Widener University on Friday at 9:00 a.m. from Chain of Lakes Park Field #1 in Winter Haven, FL.