Phoenix, Ariz. – March 15, 2011 – The Springfield College baseball team improved to 4-0 as it cruised past Augsburg College by the score of 16-5 on Tuesday in the RussMatt Greater Phoenix Invitational.

This marks the first time since 1989 that Springfield has won its first four games to start the season.

John Schmaltz continued to be on an offensive tear as he went 5-for-6 with five RBI on the day. Before grounding out in his final plate appearance, Schmaltz had registered a hit on his last consecutive 12 plate appearances. Leading up to his five-hit day on Tuesday, Schmaltz had a hit in his final at bat in Sunday’s doubleheader against Macalester before racking up six hits in Monday’s win over Wisconsin-La Crosse. His 12 consecutive hits ranks fourth all-time in NCAA Division III history with Jim Sostak of Benedictine (Ill.) owning the record of 15 straight hits from April 4-9, 2000.

As a team, Springfield’s totaled 23 hits. Kyle DiFranco went 5-6 with two runs scored, while a pair of freshman also produced at the plate. Mike McGowan registered three hits as he knocked in three and scored twice and Sean Smith went 3-4 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored.

In his first collegiate game, Alex Williams was strong on the mound for Springfield, earning the win as he punched out eight in five innings of work. In relief, Greg Mayo surrendered four runs, three earned, off three hits in two innings of work, while Darryl Smith pitched the final two innings, allowing two hits and striking out a pair.

After four innings of play, Springfield owned a commanding 8-0 lead, before Augsburg got on the board with a single run in the top of the fifth. The Pride responded with three runs in the bottom half of the fifth to make it 11-1. The teams each plated four runs apiece in the sixth, and Springfield scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth.