Comeback Lifts No. 8 UNOH Past LTU

LIMA, Ohio – Following a doubleheader sweep over Lawrence Technological University on Saturday, the NAIA No. 8 University of Northwestern Ohio baseball team returned to action on Sunday for the series finale against the Blue Devils.

The Racers (36-10, 25-1 WHAC0 allowed a season-high five runs in the top of the first inning as the Blue Devils (12-29, 6-21 WHAC) got off to a hot start in the upset bid as UNOH found itself in a five-run deficit for just the third time this season. A three-run bottom half aided in the comeback as the Racers outlasted the Blue Devils to extend their win streak to 19 games with a 9-8 triumph.

Blake Maines drove in UNOH's first run of the game as he grounded out to Ryan Robinette at shortstop, but Jose Paulino made his way home. Junior Gomez, the single season record holder for most home runs, extended his total to nine bombs as he ripped a two-run homer over the left field wall, scoring Jeff Cardenas.

After entering the first inning with bases loaded and one out, Steven Amos settled the Blue Devils' bats as he did not allow a hit in the second and third innings before handing the mound over to Brett McEldowney in the fourth as he surrendered his first three batters.

UNOH then chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the fourth as Carlos Baerga, Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to left field as Jensen Riley tagged from third to make it 5-4 in Lawrence Tech's favor.

Another pair of shutout innings by McEldowney put UNOH in prime positioning to cap off the comeback in the bottom of the sixth with four runs. Jonathan Rodriguez got things going with a bunt single down the third base line before a Baerga single to left field moved him to third base. A perfectly-executed squeeze bunt by Erich Gonzalez scored Rodriguez as he beat the tag at the plate to even the score.

A line drive by Kyle Fisher was deep enough for Baerga to tag up on the sacrifice fly as the Racers claimed their first lead of the game. An insurance run was essentially gifted to UNOH as Felix Correa stole second following a walk. The attempted cutoff throw by Max Cadman sailed over Robinette, allowing Gonzalez to cross home. Cardenas followed with a RBI double down the right field line to cap off the four-run, three-hit inning as LTU committed one error.

Those insurance runs proved necessary as the Blue Devils scattered a trio of runs in the top of the seventh to even the score once again. Extra innings looked imminent as the Racers were down to their final out in regulation with Gomez at the plate and Paulino on third.

Gomez hit a ground ball just out of the reach of LTU's pitcher David Klug before Robinette was unable to make the play as Gomez reached on the fielding error which also allowed Paulino to score the walk-off run.

Ross Cervantes (2-0) was credited with the victory as he pitched a perfect ninth inning while Jeff Rousseau allowed just one hit and a walk over 1.2 innings of relief.

The next scheduled contest for UNOH is slated as a doubleheader on Wednesday against Cincinnati Christian University. Game one is scheduled for a 1 PM first pitch.