Baseball Closes USF Series with Win on Senior Day

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. — The Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team (22-24, 18-18) wrapped up the 2024 regular season with two more games against the University of Saint Francis (34-15, 24-12) on Friday, April 26.

It was senior day at Cougar Field as MVNU honored the playing careers of Hunter Billman, Logan Fox, Hogan Heck, Casey Kalman, Blaine Keener, Cruz McFadden, Joe Poremsky, and Cole Schreck.

MVNU fell in the first game of the day 2-3. The contest remained scoreless until USF scored two runs in the top of the sixth. MVNU got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh after Billman brought home Kaid Carpenter with an RBI. USF responded with a solo homer in the top of the eighth to extend its lead. Rider Minnick hit an RBI single that scored Owynn Gleason in the bottom of the ninth, but MVNU could not push across the game-tying run to prevent the loss. Reese Willoughby got the start and pitched five innings of no-hit baseball. Willoughby had six strikeouts.

MVNU bounced back to win its first game of the series by a final of 4-2. USF took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth, but MVNU answered right back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning after RBI singles from Johnny Nixon and Carpenter. MVNU captured the lead in the fifth inning after an error let Gleason come home and score. Carpenter made his presence felt yet again in the sixth as he drove in Brady Lester with a single near third base. Holding a 4-2 lead, McFadden picked up his seventh save of the season to secure the win for MVNU. Ryan Willoughby got the start on the mound and got the win. The freshman went five innings and allowed just two runs off five hits while striking out eight.

What's Next:

MVNU will compete in the Crossroads League baseball tournament, hosted by Taylor University on May 1-6. Final seedings, matchups, and times are still to be determined.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,000 students from 25 states and 11 foreign countries.