ELSAH, Ill. – The Spalding University baseball team used an offensive outburst to take both games of a double-header and complete the series sweep over Principia College, 18-1 and 13-0. The wins improve the Golden Eagles overall record to 12-7, with a 4-2 mark in the SLIAC. The loss drops the Panthers to 4-12 on the year and 0-3 in conference play. The first game saw Aaron Mitchell (3-1) pick the win, while Aleq McMullin (2-1) was credited with the loss. In the second game, Jimi Keating (3-2) earned the win, while Hunter Mehring (1-1) was tagged for the loss.
 
Korie Vire had a solid day, going 3-for-6 including a homerun, with two RBI's, three runs, and a stolen base. Jacob Woodruff went 2-for-6 including a homerun, with five RBI's and four runs. Brad Speek hit 2-for-6 with two RBI's, three runs, and two walks.
 
Principia would open the scoring in the bottom of the first on a RBI triple from Mehring to take a 1-0 lead. The Golden Eagles would answer in the top of the second when Speek came home on an error by the third baseman. The top of the third would see Spalding's offense erupt for seven runs. With runners on second and third, Bruner hit a two RBI single to give the Golden Eagles a 3-1 lead. Spalding would get runners back on second and third before Speek would smack a two RBI double to extend the lead to 5-1. Again, Spalding would get runners on second and third, before Woodruff stepped in and crushed a three-run homerun to make it 8-1, Spalding. The Golden Eagles would add to their lead in the top of the fourth. Speek would reach base on a walk before Matt Harper stepped in and hit a homer, making it 10-1 in favor of the Golden Eagles. Spalding would put the game away for good in the fifth, hanging eight runs on the board. With a man on first, Vire hit the third Spalding homerun, making it 12-1. With the bases loaded, the Panthers would hit the next two batters, scoring two runs. An error in right field would clear the bases and put Nolan Simpkins on third with Spalding up, 17-1. Quentin Brownlee would follow with a double, scoring Simpkins. Mitchell would strike out the side in the bottom half and the game would be called.
 
In the second game, Spalding's offense would strike first in the top of the second. With a runner on first, Woodruff would reach on an error by the pitcher that scored the runner and advanced him to third. Kyle Stevens would hit a RBI single to make it 2-0, Spalding. Brownlee would follow that with a two-run homerun, extending the lead to 4-0. In the top of the fourth, Spalding put six more runs on the board. Brownlee would reach on a fielder's choice, putting runners on first and third. He would steal second, causing a throwing error on the catcher to bring the man from third home. With runners on second and third, Simpkins hit a two-run single, making it 7-0. Blake Patterson would step in with the bases loaded and bring three runs home on a double, pushing the lead to 10-0. The sixth would see Spalding put the game away for good. With a man on first and third, a wild pitch would score the runner to extend the Spalding lead to 11-0. Dillon Sievert would step in and hit a two-run blast, making it 13-0. After shutting down Principia in the sixth and seventh, the game would be called.
 
Spalding will be back in action Friday, April 1^st to take on the Griffins of Fontbonne University in double-header action. The first game is scheduled for 12 pm EST, with the second game to follow.