Box Score AUBURNDALE, Florida – Senior Jacob Roley threw 7.1 innings and senior Brandon McCumber knocked out three hits as the MSOE baseball team defeated Rose-Hulman 5-3 Thursday morning at the RussMatt Invitational.
The Raiders (2-5) broke a 2-2 tie with the Fightin' Engineers (1-4) with a three-run eighth inning and held off a rally in the bottom half to get the win.
Roley (1-1) worked around eight hits in his second start of the young season, striking out four and allowing three runs. Sophomore Sam Crawford retired all five batters that he faced to earn the save.
With the score tied at 2-2 since the third inning, junior Ryan Newman got a rally started with a one-out single. McCumber followed with a single and sophomore Nick Gross walked to load the bases. Junior Jimmy Carrington plated a run with a single and freshman Julian Sonn grounded out, scoring another. Gross then came in on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.
Rose-Hulman would stage a rally in the bottom of the eighth as the first two batters reached. David Burnside then drove in one run with a double. A second base runner was then caught between third and home and retired on a strong throw from McCumber to Sonn to junior Owen Burnikel at third base.
Crawford came on in relief, inducing a pop-up and ground ball to strand a runner in scoring position and end the threat. He then sent the Engineers down in order in the ninth for his first collegiate save.
MSOE had scored first with a two-run second inning. Freshman D.J. Ellifson led off with the first of his three walks in the game and reached third base after a sacrifice bunt and single by junior Matt Melbye. Junior Max Kemp reached on a fielder's choice and an error, allowing Ellifson to score. Melbye then came in one batter later on a sacrifice fly by Newman.
RHIT would pull a run back in the bottom half of the inning and tied the score with a manufactured run in the third.
McCumber reached four times in the game with three hits and a walk. Gross also finished with a pair of base hits.
The Raiders close out their Florida trip Friday morning against Otterbein. First pitch is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. central.
