FORT MYERS, Fla. – McDaniel exploded for 18 runs in the opener en route to a split with Lakeland on its first day of the Gene Cusic Classic in non-conference baseball action on Saturday.

The Green Terror (2-1) opened the day with an 18-1 win before the Muskies (2-10) rallied to salvage a split with a 9-8 win in eight innings in game two.

Nick Valori (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) led McDaniel with four hits on the day.

The Green Terror batted around in the bottom of the first inning in game one. Brandon Hayward (Salisbury, Md./J.M. Bennett) had the big hit of the frame, blasting a one-out, bases-loaded triple that made it a 4-0 game.

Keyed by back-to-back two-out triples from Valori and Marty Windisch (Manchester, Md./Manchester Valley), McDaniel tacked on another six runs in the third inning for an 11-0 lead.

Doubles from Bryce Skelton and Kenny Pekarek gave Lakeland its only run in the fourth inning.

The Green Terror added three runs in the fourth and two each in the fifth and sixth for the final margin.

Kasey Nelson (Denton, Md./St. Michael's) blasted a leadoff home run in the fifth inning for his first collegiate hit.

Trailing 7-6 in game two, A.J. Dollinger drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh. A Kenny Pekarek single and fielder's choice but runners at the corners with two outs.

Jared Schaaf singled home pinch-runner Drew Richard to even the game at 7-all.

Chris Morris (Wynnewood, Pa./Harrington) led off the top of the eighth with a pinch-hit single before moving to second on a sacrifice.

An Anotonio Rosanova (Laurel, Md./DeMatha) single and error allowed Morris to score the go-ahead run.

Bryce Skelton led off the bottom of the frame with a pinch-hit single before a sacrifice moved him to second.

A Brady Callahan single and fielder's choice loaded the bases.

An errant throw in an attempt to turn the game-ending double play allowed both Skelton and Callahan to score and win the game for Lakeland.

A Dollinger double staked the Muskies to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first before Tyler Gilbert (Severn, Md./Glen Burnie) keyed a four-run third with a three-run home run.

A pair of singles and an error trimmed the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the third before a Sean Sivo (Ellicott City, Md./Howard) two-run, two-out single pushed the lead to 6-2 in the fourth.

Lakeland closed the deficit to 6-5 in the bottom of the inning before an error pushed the lead back to two in the fifth.

Singles from Kyle Delahaut and Luke Bacci coupled with a stolen base closed the margin to one in the bottom of the sixth.

The Green Terror returns to action against Dubuque on Sunday. Game time is 12 p.m.

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