Lexington, Ky. – In a game that featured 19 combined hits, the Transylvania baseball team was held off by the John Carroll Blue Streaks, 5-3 on Saturday afternoon at Marquard Field.

Facing John Carroll in the midst of a four-game weekend series at home and in the first matchup between the two teams of the weekend, Transylvania mustered nine hits for three runs but the visiting Blue Streaks cultivated a 5-2 lead in the first four innings that provided a beneficial cushion for the rest of the day.

Each team threw their offensive punches early in Saturday's game as the Blue Streaks used a string of base hits in the top of the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead. Freshman starting pitcher Nick Craddock limited the John Carroll threat by inducing the Blue Streaks' Joe Charpentier into a double play to end the inning with runners aboard.

Transylvania answered back in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by freshman catcher Michael Blair to score senior infielder Taylor Henley to slice the John Carroll advantage to 2-1. Junior outfielder Isaac Taylor smacked a hard line drive that glanced off the Blue Streaks pitcher and allowed Blair to score the tying run for a 2-2 game.

John Carroll made its move ahead, scoring the go-ahead runs in the third inning and adding one more in the fourth inning for the 5-2 advantage.

Each side went scoreless over the next four innings before the Pioneers began to make noise in the bottom of the eighth inning. Sophomore catcher Cole Ratliff delivered a one-out RBI base hit that scored senior infielder Jared Williams to make it a 5-3 game in favor of John Carroll. The Transy go-ahead run came up to bat with two outs, but Blue Streaks relief pitcher Andrew Steele registered the final out to keep the Pioneers at a distance.

Freshman pitcher Nick Craddock was charged with the loss, going six innings and totaling two strikeouts, four walks, and seven hits allowed.

Henley and Blair each delivered two hits for the Pioneers with Blair adding a walk.

Transylvania's record moves to 6-8 while John Carroll improved to 8-5.

Transylvania rematches John Carroll tomorrow at 12:00 noon at Marquard Field in the final game of the weekend for the Pioneers.

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