BEREA, Ky. - The Carroll University baseball team finished its season-opening three-game road trip on a high note by winning a nonconference doubleheader versus Berea College on Friday, claiming the first game 7-4 and the second 7-6.
It was the first series victory of the early season for Carroll, which improved to 2-1 overall with the resilient effort.
Joey Appino, a freshman center fielder from Loves Park, Ill., went a combined 6-for-12 with two triples, four runs scored and two RBIs in making his career debut for the Pioneers.
Carroll combined for 27 hits in the series and showcased its defensive skills by finishing with only two errors.

GAME 1
The opener of the abbreviated final-day doubleheader was the completion of a suspended game from Thursday night and resumed with Carroll leading 7-4 in the top of the fourth inning.
Berea scored four unanswered runs in the bottom of the second but Carroll responded with what proved to be a decisive six-hit, seven-run top of the third to pull away.
Justin Baker ignited the rally with a two-run double and later scored on an error. Cole Haugh followed with a run-scoring double, Luke Blaha had a two-run single and Appino added an RBI triple to cap the rally.
Haugh went 3-for-5 to help power an aggressive 11-hit offensive attack for Carroll, which finished with five extra-base hits (four doubles and one triple). Baker, Appino and Luke Blaha each collected two hits.
The Pioneers utilized three pitchers, including starter Scotty Starovich who yielded four earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk through 2 2/3 innings.
It was a successful comeback for Starovich, who finished with 52 pitches in making his first start after missing 2022 following ulnar collateral ligament surgery (also known as Tommy John surgery).
Nolan Fehrman, a junior right-hander from Slinger, Wis., earrned the victory, allowing no runs with four strikeouts and one walk through four innings - throwing 51 pitches while forcing five fly outs and three ground outs in facing 15 batters.
Connor Kelly worked two scoreless innings to round out the victory for Carroll, which played error-free defense.

GAME 2
Ben Hurt Haller, a freshman from Cary, Ill., drove in the winning run on a sacrifice fly out in the top of the seventh as Carroll pulled out a dramatic 7-6 victory in the seven-inning series finale.
Appino scored the winning run after reaching on a one-out walk and advancing to third on a critical two-base error.
Carroll trailed 1-0 after three innings but responded with five runs on four hits and took advantage of an error in the top of the fourth.
Mason Hege sparked the rally with a two-run single, eventually scoring along with Benton Holly on an error as the Pioneers claimed a 4-1 lead. Eli Syverson capped the rally with an RBI single.
Berea answered with three runs in the fifth to trim the deficit to 5-4.
Carroll extended the lead to 6-4 in the sixth as Hurt Haller scored from third as the result of a bases-loaded hit batsman.
Berea tied the game with a two-run double in the bottom half of the sixth, setting the stage for Hurt Haller's clutch seventh-inning flyout.
The Pioneers utilized four pitchers, including starter Jorge Rodriguez, Brody Meyer, Josh Streu and Connor Nolen.
Rodriguez, a junior right-hander from Naranjito, Puerto Rico, earned the victory, yielding one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts and no walks in working the first two innings. He finished with 21 pitches and forced three fly outs in facing nine batters.
Connor Nolen earned a save, allowing two runs on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks in working the final two innings.
With two outs and a runner at first in the bottom of the seventh, Nolen forced a game-ending groundout to preserve a victory.