FORT PIERCE, FL— Less than 24 hours removed from posting 31 runs in the last two days, Muskingum Fighting Muskies' freshman pitcher, Brayden Bush, silenced the Houghton Highlanders' bats, leading the Muskies to a 14-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Highlanders struck first in the bottom of the fourth after Zach Parr led off the inning with a lined shot off the pitcher for a base hit.  Parr moved to second when John Zamites reached on a hit by pitch, and scored on a base hit by Joe Gross.
 
After Houghton starter Hunter Kendall rolled through the first four innings, striking out six and not allowing a run, the Muskies exploded for eight runs in the fourth.
 
Griffin Tubbs held Muskingum at bay through the next three frames, but the damage had been done and Houghton managed only one additional run in the bottom of the seventh when Gross doubled to left and scored on a base hit by Whitney Cook.
 
The Muskies tacked on six insurance runs in the top of the ninth on three hits and two Houghton errors.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Score: Houghton – 2 | Muskingum – 14
Records: Houghton: 3-3 | Muskingum: 3-2
Venue: Bob Gladwin Stadium, Lawnwood Complex | Attendance: 56
 
KEY STATS:
>> Bush picked up his first collegiate win, tossing seven innings, allowing six hits, two earned runs and two walks, while striking out nine.
 
>> Brett Carson went 3-for-6 for the Muskies with a double and a triple, and three RBI.
 
>> Gross went 2-for-4 with a double, and RBI and a run scored for the Highlanders.
 
COACH'S CORNER:
"This was definitely not our best effort.  Truthfully, we had two bad innings, but we kind of faded in the middle.
 
"Hunter [Kendall] threw really well through the first four innings, and Griff[in Tubbs] pitched really well from the sixth through the eighth.  We needed to string together some better at bats, and we need to tighten the ship defensively.
 
"We're capable of putting together a better effort, and I'm confident that we'll bounce back on Friday." –Coach Brian Reitnour
 
UP NEXT:
The Highlanders return to the Lawnwood Complex Friday at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. for a split doubleheader against Wilkes University and University of Northwestern-St. Paul, respectively.