DAVENPORT, Fla. – The Golden Eagles returned to the Russ Matt Invitational after a day off with a big sweep of Judson, dominating game one in a 14-2 victory that was highlighted by four RBI from Jake Collins. In game two, Cornerstone took a little longer to heat up the offense but took advantage of a lack of command from Judson in another blowout 13-3 win that saw three Cornerstone HR's. CU is now 6-10 on the year as they close out the Russ Matt Invitational tomorrow morning vs. Hastings College out of Nebraska. 

Game One – Cornerstone – 14 Judson – 2

• Judson got off to a hot start offensively with a triple and a double to score a run in the top of the first and take a 1-0 lead. 
• Starter Alex Hayward did a great job limiting the damage with a pair of strikeouts that ended the inning with a 1-0 deficit. 
• Struggles on defense allowed Cornerstone to get right back into the game as JC Salinas got on via an error and later scored on a triple from Grant Young on a ball that was misplayed by the Judson right fielder. 
• Jake Collins then scored Grant Young with a double down the left field line to give CU the lead 2-1. CU added one more on a George Cutler groundout as the Golden Eagles held a 3-1 advantage after one inning of play. 
• In the top of the second, Cornerstone made some great defensive plays to help starter Alex Hayward. The first out was recorded on a 5-6-4 force out at second base, as JC Salinas made a diving stop to keep the ball in the infield. George Cutler then gunned down a runner trying to steal to get the second out. Hayward got a strikeout to end the inning, keeping the score 3-1. 
• CU was first pitch hunting in the bottom of the third as Jake Collins started things with a solo bomb to left field for his fourth in the last three games. George Cutler doubled the very next pitch, and the runner Jack Gagliardi would later score on a Matthew Kindley single to make it 5-1. 
• A bases loaded walk to Jordan Wenzel would end the day for Judson starter Jake Blanco as Cornerstone led 6-1. 
• Cornerstone continued to rope the ball of the Judson reliever, scoring a total of eight runs in the inning to blow the game open. Jake Collins dominated the inning with a two RBI double to add to his HR to lead things off, as CU took an 11-1 lead into the fourth. 
• JU was able to get one run back in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly, but again starter Alex Hayward did a great job getting out of trouble as the Golden Eagles lead sat at nine. 
• The Cornerstone offense could not be stopped. Lucas Vega hit an RBI double in the fourth, a run scored on a balk, and JC Salinas hit an RBI single to advance the CU lead to 14-2. 
• Alex Hayward would be done for the day after a strong five innings on the mound. Levi Heerema took over in the sixth pitching for the first time this season. 
• Levi Heerema would do the job for the final two innings on the mound, securing a 14-2 game one victory for the Golden Eagles. 

 
Game Two – Cornerstone – 13 Judson – 3

• Game two starter Caden Ritsema struggled with command early walking in a Judson run in the bottom of the first for the first run of the game. A strikeout would get CU out of the inning trailing by just one. 
• Judson responded with lack of command as Cornerstone tied the game when Matthew Kindley scored on a wild pitch in the top of the second inning. Later in the same inning, Andrew Meny would score on a wild pitch as well to give CU the 2-1 lead. 
• Judson would go to the bullpen for the top of the third and see success as Hayden Singley struckout the side to end the inning. 
• In the bottom of the third, Matthew Kindley would make an outstanding diving catch in right field for the first out to help Caden Ritsema through the inning. 
• Hayden Singley would not have the same success in the fourth, exiting the game on the mound for Judson with the bases loaded. Andrew Meny later scored for CU on a groundout to put CU on top 3-1. 
• Jake Collins then blew the game open with yet another home run to give Cornerstone a 6-1 advantage. 
• The very next pitch George Cutler hit a home run to dead center field to make it 7-1. Cornerstone would not stop scoring as Andrew Meny added an RBI single and Judson again was forced to go to the bullpen. 
• The new JU pitcher struggled as well as Lucas Vega hit his first career HR and third of the inning with a three-run bomb. Cornerstone totaled nine runs in the top of the fourth to take an 11-1 advantage. 
• In the top of the sixth, Evan Shirley got an at-bat and would hit a fielder's choice that resulted in no outs and Jordan Wenzel scoring from third to make it 12-1. Jake Collins hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning to keep advancing the lead at 13-1. 
• Judson would find one run off the reliever Ben Barnes in the bottom of the sixth to bring the score to 13-2. 
• Ben Barnes would pitch the final three innings of relief allowing just two runs to secure a 13-3 victory. 

 
By the Numbers:
10 – The top four in the Golden Eagle lineup of JC Salinas, Grant Young, Jake Collins, and George Cutler combined for 10 RBI in game one. 
3 – Landon Poll was hit by the pitch three more times in today's double-header as he holds the Golden Eagle program record with 37 of them in his career. He takes the lead from Jonny Abbadusky who had over 200 more at-bats than Poll in his career. 
1&2 – Lucas Vega hit his first career bomb in the second game, while Andrew Meny stole his first two collegiate bases. 
 
What's Next?
Cornerstone closes out their two-week trip to Florida in the Russ Matt Invitational with another GPAC school tomorrow as they face Hastings College for a double-header starting at 9:15 a.m. back at Northeast Region Park.  

Baseball Contact: Jesse Campbell 
CU Athletics: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Baseball: Twitter | Facebook