Baseball Takes Series from Saints with Double-Header Sweep

Location: Lima, Ohio (Racer Field)

Scores: UNOH 13, Siena Heights 3 F/8; UNOH 18, SHU 2

Records: UNOH 32-8, 20-2 WHAC; SHU 14-20, 9-12 WHAC

Next UNOH Event: Sat. at Davenport (Mich.) – Grand Rapids, Mich. (Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex) – 1 p.m.

LIMA, Ohio – The University of Northwestern Ohio baseball team struggled to score runs against the Siena Heights University Saints in the first of two double-headers between the two clubs on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, that was not a problem for the Racers' offense.

UNOH outscored Siena Heights 31-5 on the day, taking the double-header sweep by scores of 13-3 and 18-2.

UNOH got RBI doubles from Brandon Collins and James Cardona in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 2-1 lead after SHU had opened the scoring in the top of the frame. Jose Cruz added an RBI double in the bottom of the third, and the teams traded runs in the fourth inning, giving UNOH a 4-2 lead. Collins added a second run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth, and though Siena Heights scored a run in the top of the seventh, the Racers continued to ride the wave of momentum. UNOH scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh and five in the eighth to take the run-rule win, 13-3.

Ruben Medina (5-2) picked up his second win of the week, tossing seven innings and yielding three earned runs on nine hits while striking out two. Tyler Butlin (1-5) allowed four earned runs on seven hits in four innings to take the loss.

Collins and Ryan Lozada were each 3-for-4 in the game, with each driving in three runs. Collins also scored three times in the contest.

Game two was over almost before it started.

The first three batters of the game for UNOH reached, and Jose Cruz drilled a long Grand Slam on a 1-1 pitch to put UNOH up 4-0. Kyle Fisher added a two RBI single later in the frame as UNOH sent 10 men to the plate, scoring six times.

Siena Heights scored a run in the top of the second, but the Racers answered with another six-run frame to stretch their lead to 12-1. Siena Heights scored their final run of the game in the top of the fourth, but again, UNOH answered – this time with five runs. In the fifth, Felix Correa singled home Carlos Baerga, Jr. to cap the scoring as UNOH took the win 18-2.

Ryan Burns (5-1) threw four innings and gave up two runs on five hits, striking out eight of the first nine hitters he faced in the game. Brent Vaccaro (4-1) took the loss, allowing nine earned runs while recording only three outs on the hill.

Collins, Cruz, Rafael Lozada, and Zyler Cosby each had three hits in game two, and UNOH banged out 20 safeties in the game as a team. Cosby, Collins, and Cruz each scored three times, and Cruz led the way with six RBIs in the game with Rafael Lozada and Fisher driving in three runs apiece as well.

The Racers will face a difficult road showdown with the NAIA #2 Davenport Panthers (36-3, 20-1 WHAC) in a four game set next weekend. The two teams will play double-headers on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. each day.