The Raven Baseball team wasn't scheduled to play their home-opener until Saturday but with Mother Nature getting ready to hit the area with another round fo Winter weather, Benedictine picked up a doubleheader with Doane University on Laughlin Field at Olsen Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
A game one rally fell short as Doane (1-1) earned a 14-10 win over Benedictine (3-1) before the Ravens rallied for a split, taking game two 20-13.
Mark Harley took the hill in the opener and after a hot start for the Ravens, suffered the loss. He threw the first three and two-thirds giving up just two earned runs off six hits as the Ravens defense committed two errors in the loss. Trip Wright, John Weber, Dillon Elliott and Preston Pope combined to finish the game but a three-run seventh by the Tigers sealed the win.
Benedictine finished game one with 12 hits with six of those for extra bases. Austin Watamaniuk and Michael Slaten set the table at the top of the lineup with a combined six hits. Watamaniuk recorded a double and RBI while Slaten added a triple and RBI. Daryl Myers connected on a two-run home run while Logan Finley, Brendon Glock and Drew Piontek finished with a double each to round out the Ravens efforts at the plate.
In game two, the Ravens rallied twice to earn the win. Trailing 9-7 heading into the bottom of the third, the Ravens rallied with a four-run inning to take their first lead of the day. Doane answered with a four-run fourth inning before the Ravens were able to rally with a nine-run fifth inning to secure the win before the game was called after the fifth due to darkness.
Jacob Slaten earned the win in relief. He threw the final inning and two-thirds, holding Doane to just one hit.
The Ravens used 16 hits to scored their 20 runs. Myers and Jacob Pavlyak finished with five RBIs each as Myers recorded a triple and his second home run of the season. Pavlyak added a double and a triple while Michael Slaten, Watamaniuk and Jordan Williams finished with a double each.
Benedictine hosts Morningside College at Noon on Thursday for another non-conference doubleheader. Morningside was scheduled to take on the Ravens in a four-game weekend series but due to the forecast of Winter weather of the weekend, Saturday's doubleheader was moved to Thursday with Sunday's doubleheader canceled.
