Winning Streak Reaches 11 as UNOH Sweeps Grace
Site: Lima, Ohio (Racer Field)
Scores: #RV UNOH 9, Grace College 0; UNOH 9, Grace 1
Records: UNOH (13-5), Grace (6-7)
Next UNOH Event: Sun. Mar. 15 vs. Wright State-Lake – Lima, Ohio (Racer Field) – 1 p.m.
LIMA, Ohio – Rain threatened the University of Northwestern Ohio baseball team's double-header with Grace College on Saturday afternoon, but the decision was made to play early on Saturday morning and the Racers benefited in a big way.
UNOH got dominant performances on the mound from seniors Ruben Medina and Ryan Burns, and at the plate, the Racers pounded out 28 hits on the day in sweeping the Lancers 9-0 and 9-1.
UNOH got back-to-back two-out RBI doubles from Jose Cruz and Rafael Lozada in the bottom of the first inning, staking Medina to a 2-0 lead. Lozada added a sacrifice fly in the third, and Brett Akins followed with a two-RBI single, pushing UNOH's lead to 5-0. Brandon Collins added RBI singles in the fourth and sixth, and Jhonniel Alvarez capped the scoring with a one-out, two-RBI single in the sixth frame, as UNOH took the win 9-0.
On the mound, Medina (3-2) put together his best effort of the season, scattering four hits and striking out four in picking up his second career complete game shutout. Tim Weber (1-2) allowed six earned runs on 10 hits in three and two-thirds innings, walking three and striking out one.
Collins had a double and two singles in three at bats, driving in two runs and scoring two more. Alex Leach and Zyler Cosby each had two hits with leach scoring twice and Cosby crossing the plate three times. Lozada, Alvarez, and Akins has two RBIs apiece as well.
In game two, the Racers put the game away almost before it got started.
UNOH sent 11 men to the plate in the frame, scoring seven runs on seven hits to take a 7-0 lead. The inning was highlighted by a two-RBI triple from Kyle Fisher that scored Ryan Lozada and James Cardona. Cardona blasted his second home run of the season to lead off the third frame, and three batters later Fisher singled home Jason Fukumoto to stretch UNOH's lead to 9-0.
Paul Blankley doubled for the Lancers with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, scoring CJ Swartz to get the Lancers on the board, but that was the only offense the Lancers were able to muster, as UNOH took the second game 9-1 to complete the double-header sweep.
Ryan Burns (1-1) picked up the win, allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks while fanning seven. Lancers' starter Joe Dougherty (2-2) lasted just one-third of an inning, giving up seven earned runs on seven hits, one walk, and one strikeout in taking the loss.
Leach, Cruz, Fisher, and Ryan Lozada each had two hits in the game for the Racers, with Cardona scoring twice and Fisher picking up three RBIs.
The Racers will wrap up their weekend with a double-header against the Wright State University-Lake Campus Lakers (2-2) on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.