(NORTH CANTON, Ohio) – Walsh bounced back from a 5-3 loss to defeat Malone 4-1 to split a midweek twin bill and take the season series from its rivals to the south. The Cavaliers (18-18, 9-7) swept the Pioneers (19-16, 11-7) to take the series 3-1.

The Cavaliers remain in fifth place in the conference. The top two teams in each division qualify for the playoffs with the final two teams with the best conference records earning wild card bids.

Logan Bowles tossed another gem to improve to 5-0 on the season. He carried a one-hitter into the ninth before Tyson Lautanen took to the hill to close the game and preserved the one-hitter. Bowles struck out seven against three walks in eight innings of work.

Walsh scored three runs in the first two innings, added an insurance run in the sixth, and held on for the 4-1. Jason McPeek started the scoring with his 10th home run of the season, second-most in the GLIAC, for a 1-0 lead in the first.

McPeek added another run with a double down the left field line to score Eric Conner in the second. Earlier in the inning, Johnny Knight IV scored on a ground out by James Thomas. Knight IV made the score 4-0 with a solo homer to right center in the sixth.

In the first game, Walsh slowly chipped away at an early Malone lead, but was held to solo runs in three innings.

Luke Caple brought in the first with a sacrifice fly to score James Thomas in the third. Austin Szink added another sacrifice fly to score Lautanen in the sixth. McPeek added the final run with a single up the middle to score Thomas in the seventh.

Walsh now sets its focus to the top team in the division in Ashland. The Eagles visit North Canton for a four-game series Saturday and Sunday. They're the last home games of the season for Walsh. First pitch on Saturday is set for 1 p.m.