PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.--Adrian College scored eight times in the top of the very first inning and held on to defeat Denison University, 12-9, on the second day of the 2018 Snowbird Collegiate Baseball Classic Saturday.

THE BASICS
= Final Scoreline: Adrian 12-14-1, Denison 9-9-1 

= Records: Adrian Bulldogs—4-3 overall; Denison Big Red—5-2 overall 

=National Rankings: Adrian ("RV" National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association/D3baseball.com, 9 points); Denison (NCBWA/D3baseball, 3 points)

TOP 'DAWGS
= Junior Zack Zschering had a career-high four hits, including a double, scored three runs, had a walk and knocked in a run.

= Classmate Jordan Torrento was 2-for-3 (double) with two walks and added a career-best four runs batted in.

= Junior Dugan Darnell rapped three hits, walked and had a RBI.

= Senior Hunter Hayes, junior Chad Paddock and sophomore Tristin Richardson chipped in a double apiece.

= Sophomore Pierce Banks got the win after throwing five innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and five walks while striking out eight.

= Freshman relief pitcher Jordan Williams picked up his first career save in two scoreless innings in which he recorded five strikeouts.

THE OPPOSITION
= Nick Pettigrew went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks and two RBI.

= Jack Blanchard and Noah Hahn joined Pettigrew with two RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED
= Adrian pushed across eight runs after two outs in its first at-bat. Richardson opened the floodgates with a RBI double and Torrento capped the big opening frame with a bases-clearing double down the left field line.

= Denison got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when Hahn singled to right field to plate Sam Frazen.

= In the fifth, Zschering scored on a wild pitch in what proved to be the decisive run

= Two innings later, Adrian added some insurance runs as Paddock and Hayes hit back-to-back RBI doubles to make it 12-3.

= In the home seventh, the Big Red made things interesting by scoring six runs on four hits, one error and a balk to close within three. But junior Jesse Marks, who was the Bulldogs' third relief pitcher of the day, shut Denison down after inheriting two base runners. He got Hahn to strike out swinging and Tanner Johnson lined out to second base to end the threat.

= Adrian outhit the Big Red 14 to nine. Denison had 11 runners left on base.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
= This marked just the second meeting between the schools since March 25, 2000, when Adrian won 24-13 at the Ohio Wesleyan Tournament in Delaware. 

= Torrento takes over the Adrian RBI-lead with seven.

= Williams ranks fifth in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association earned-run average at 2.25.

= Darnell paces the Bulldogs with a .458 batting average, which is tied for sixth in the MIAA.  

UP NEXT
= Adrian takes on nationally-ranked North Central-Ill. on Sunday to wrap up the Snowbird.

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