LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding University baseball team dropped their conference opener to Blackburn, 5-4. The loss drops the Golden Eagles to 8-5 overall and 0-1 in the SLIAC. With the win, the Beavers improve to 2-10 on the season and 1-0 in the conference. Tyler Morgan (1-3) picked up the win, while Kyle Olliges (0-1) was hit for the loss. Dillon Hensley was credited with the save.
 
Korie Vire had a productive day, going 2-for-4 with a walk, a RBI, two runs, and three stolen bases. Jacob Woodruff went 2-for-5 with a run, including one of the team's two doubles. Casey Gibson picked up the other double, going 2-for-4 with a RBI.
 
Blackburn opened the scoring in the top of the third inning. A bases clearing double from Brock Hill gave the Beavers a 3-0 lead. A RBI single from Jared Jones would extend it to 4-0 before Spalding would finally get out of the inning. In the top of the fifth, Spalding would surrender another run to Blackburn and find themselves down 5-0. The Golden Eagles would finally find some offense in the bottom of the sixth. Woodruff would lead off with a double, before a RBI single from Vire would bring woodruff in to score. Vire would steal second to move into scoring position and come home to score on a passed ball making it 5-2, Blackburn. The rally would continue in the bottom of the eighth when Vire led off with a single. He would go on to steal both second and third, putting pressure on the Beaver pitching staff. Blake Patterson would bring him home with a RBI single to make it 5-3. Matt Harper would single to put runners on first and second with two outs. Gibson would hit a single, scoring his man from second to make it a one run ballgame. In the end however, Blackburn would shut the rally down and walk away with the win.
 
Spalding continues its series with Blackburn tomorrow, March 20^th in double-header action. The first game is scheduled for a 1 pm EST start time, with the second game to follow.