Lexington, KY – In what will prove to be a pivotal series in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference standings, the Transylvania baseball team took the first two games of the weekend series against the Earlham Quakers on Friday at Marquard Field.

The Pioneers made use of a healthy mix of pitching and hitting to dominate the Friday afternoon doubleheader, winning over the Quakers 7-2 in Game One, followed by a towering 14-6 win in the second game of the day.

The Pioneers received quality starts from both pitchers they sent out to the mound in their respective games. Braden Johnson got the Game One complete game win as he scattered two earned runs and eight hits in the victory, while adding two strikeouts for the Pioneers. Connor Blevins led the way with 3-for-4 hitting and two RBIs in the victory, including a game-changing two-run homer in the fourth inning to tie the game.

Earlham jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in game one. The Ravens scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly RBI from Brennan Laird and in the second on an RBI single from Brandon Smalling. Blevins's blast to left field tied the game at two-all.

The two teams traded scoreless innings until the bottom of the seventh, when Transylvania exploded offensively. Hunter Jones reached base on an error, and Blake Hart followed with a single up the middle. Cameron Lord then singled to score Jones. Later in the inning, Jared Williams knocked in two more runs with an RBI single to left field, giving Transylvania a 6-2 lead after seven innings.

The Pioneers didn't allow Earlham to score again in the game. Transylvania added an insurance run in the eighth when Kody Ross doubled, then scored on a Jones single for the final margin of Game One and an economical victory for the Pioneers.

Adam Boone got the starting nod for the Pioneers in Game Two of the doubleheader. Boone pitched six strong innings, only giving up three runs on five hits to go with two strikeouts.

Transylvania took early control of the game, when they scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning. A first run scored when Blake Hart came home on an infield error for a 1-0 lead. Williams came through with another timely RBI, doubling to bring in Aaron Johnson and Cameron Lord, pushing the Pioneers to a 3-0 advantage.

Earlham got back a single run in the top of the fourth inning, and again in the top of the fifth. But in the bottom of the fifth, the Pioneers unleashed one of the fiercest offensive punches levied in 2016. With one away, the Pioneers quickly loaded the bases on singles by Blevins and Ross, and a Rex Rogers walk. With a favorable position, Jones stepped up to bat and smacked a grand slam to give Transylvania an 8-2 lead. Before the Pioneers could fully savor the exclamation point moment, Hart stole Jones's thunder with a solo home run shot on the very next at-bat for a 9-2 Pioneer lead.

Scoring continued for both teams as the Pioneers outhit Earlham 16 to 8 in Game Two. Blevins continued his big day with a 3-for-5 game at the plate in the nightcap, adding another RBI in the process. In addition to his grand slam, Jones went 3-for-4 in the 14-6 victory for Transylvania. Hart and Williams each chimed in with two hits as Williams collected another triple on the season.

The pair of wins moved Transylvania to 18-16 overall, and 14-8 in HCAC play, a game and a half ahead of Earlham for a second-place tie with Manchester in the conference standings.

The Pioneers will face Earlham Saturday afternoon in the finale of the three-game series. First pitch is set for 11 A.M. at Marquard Field.

For more on Transylvania baseball, follow their official twitter @TransyBaseball