Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4

Auburndale, FL – Cairn University baseball is competing in the annual RussMatt Invitational in Florida this week for spring break; check this story for updates and results throughout the week. The Highlanders will be playing seven games across six total days while enjoying the sunny Florida weather.
 
Day 1 – March 6th – Cairn vs. Wittenberg
 
On Sunday the Highlanders took on Wittenberg University, where the Tigers defeated the Highlanders 9-5. Sam Dralle started on the mound and opened with three straight strikeouts, but could not keep up the pace and went three innings with six earned runs.
 
The Tigers scored three runs in the second and third innings to lead 6-0, however the Highlanders came back with a big fifth inning and scored five runs. Joey Nieves-Markee and Jacob Allen both singled to bring in runs before Daniel Morales tripled to clear the bases and score three runs.
 
Unfortunately Wittenberg was able to score three more runs while holding off the Highlanders' bats to go on to win 9-5. Trent Fiori led Cairn in hits with two, while Morales' three RBI led the team in that category. Brett Marks picked off two runners as they were caught stealing; Marks finished with six total putouts behind the plate.
 
The Highlanders will next face Anna Maria College on Monday.

Day 2 - March 7th - Cairn vs. Anna Maria

The Highlanders notched their second win of the season on Monday after defeating Anna Maria College 13-5. Daniel Morales led the bats for the Highlanders going 4-6 with three singles and a double, contributing three runs batted in. Eric Stinglen and Caleb Lang followed with three hits each, while Aaron Takacs collected four RBI. Joey Nieves-Markee scored four runs and was 2-2 on the day with three walks.

On Lang's first hit of the game he reached a career milestone of 200 hits. Lang is one of only 12 players to do so in CSAC history and he still has most of his senior season yet to play.

Morales collected the win on the mound after going the first three innings. Peter Feitsma pitched the next three innings for the Highlanders, while Jacob Knox and Ben Chapmen finished off the game with three scoreless innings. Anna Maria scored three runs in the first inning and one in the third and fourth innings. The Amcats collected 12 hits in the game but the Highlanders offense proved too much for Anna Maria.

Cairn will next face off against Daniel Webster College on Tuesday.

Day 3 - March 8th - Cairn vs. Daniel Webster

Cairn fell back to 2-2 overall with a tough, 14-12 loss to Daniel Webster College in 10 innings on Tuesday afternoon. The Highlanders tied the game up at 11-11 in the bottom of the ninth with two runs but the Eagles responded with three runs in the top of the 10th. The Highlanders got one back in the bottom of the 10th but it wasn't enough to overtake the Eagles.

Caleb Lang led the Highlanders by going 3-6 in the game with five RBI, including a two-RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. Brett Marks went 2-4 in the game with two RBI and drove in the Highlanders' only run in the 10th inning. Matthew Buckery, Joey Nieves-Markee, and Aaron Takacs also had two hits for the Highlanders in the 12-run effort.

Eric Stinglen started the game on the mound and went five innings with two runs scored. Ben Chapman picked up the loss as he pitched the 10th inning for the Highlanders. Cairn will next take a day off on Wednesday before playing Cazenovia College on Thursday for a doubleheader. 

Day 4 - March 10th - Cairn vs. Cazenovia (game 1)

The Highlanders improved to 4-2 on the season with two wins over Cazenovia College in a doubleheader. Cairn's pitchers put together two two-hit games on the hill in a 3-0 win in game one and 6-0 win in game two. Sam Dralle picked up the first win, followed by John Burlaga in the second game. Both struck out six batters in their game.

Aaron Takacs hit two RBI in the first game to score Eric Stinglen and Caleb Moore. Caleb Lang later scored in the sixth inning on an error-filled inning for the Wildcats to get the three-run advantage.

Cairn opened the second game with four runs in the first inning, and later added two more in the fifth. Matthew Buckery led the way with two hits and one RBI in the game. Four other batters also had one RBI throughout the seven-inning game. 

The Highlanders will take on Juniata College on Friday morning for their next game of the spring break trip.

Day 5 - March 11th - Cairn vs. Juniata

On Friday morning Cairn dropped a 10-7 game to Juniata College to move to 4-3 overall. The Highlanders led 3-1 after three innings but a four-run fourth inning and five-run fifth inning for the Eagles vaulted them into the lead 10-3. 

Half of the Eagles' runs came in the fifth inning on two home runs; a grand slam by David Defreest followed up by a solo shot from Zach Tobash. Matt Trotman came in to relieve after those two hits were given up and went three scoreless innings with no hits and two strikeouts.

Caleb Lang and Daniel Morales both homered for the Highlanders, collecting two runs each. Zachary Vegh and Keith LeNoue also punched in runs, while Joey Nieves-Markee scored two on his feet.

The Highlanders will finish up their spring break trip tomorrow when they face Medaille College.

Day 6 - March 12th - Cairn vs. Medaille

Cairn finished off their 2016 spring break trip with a 10-8 win over Medaille College to improve to 5-3 overall this season. The Highlanders built enough of a lead that they were able to hold off the Mavericks in the ninth inning and take the win.

Joey Nieves-Markee and Caleb Lang led the team with three hits each; Lang went 3-3 on the day with three RBI, two doubles and a home run. Nieves-Markee, Aaron Takacs, and Trent Fiori each hit a triple in the game, while Nieves-Markee scored three runs.

Medialle attempted a comeback in the ninth inning, down 10-5, by scoring three runs behind four hits. However their last two batters lined out to the outfield to give the win to Cairn. 

The Highlanders will return home for a three day break before traveling to Eastern University on March 15.