Baseball Goes 2-2 at Midwest Clash

MILLINGTON, TN - UNOH baseball opened the Midwestern Clash Classic with two losses on Saturday, February 17 but rebounded with two big wins on Sunday, outscoring their opponents 40-8.

Saturday

Game 1: SXU 7 UNOH 1

The Cougars scored two in the second, two in the fourth and one in the fifth before UNOH got on the board. A two-out double from Drake Miller in the bottom of five scored the lone run for the Racers as Saint Xavier added two more in the seventh to take the 7-1 win.

Tyler Grigalis was the only Racer with multiple hits going 2-4 in the game. Sinjon Bobolia (0-1) got the start and the loss going four and a third innings with five runs, four earned, on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Nick Soller finished the final two and two-thirds giving up two runs on one hit with four walks and two strikeouts.

Game 2: #25 FHU 4 UNOH 3

The Lions put up the first two runs of the game with one in the first and one in third, but UNOH got both back in the top of the fourth. A lead-off walk and a Titus Groeneweg homer plated two to tie the game after four. Freed-Hardeman added another in the home fifth but again the Racers answered in the top of the sixth. Again, it wa Groeneweg coming through with a sac fly that scored Alonso Franks. UNOH couldn't make anything of a lead-off double in the seventh and the Lions took advantage with a two-out, walk-off single to edge out a 4-3 win.

Will Myklebust went six innings off the start giving up three runs, one earned, off four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Jeremy Yurcak (0-1) tossed just two-thirds off an inning but gave up the game winning run off his only hit of the game.

Sunday

Game 1: UNOH 25 IUSB 3

After retiring the side to start the game, UNOH scored their first off a two-out single in the home first. The Titans threatened in the second with loaded bases, but Nick Johnson worked out of the jam to keep IU-South Bend off the board. The Racer offense came alive in the bottom of the frame with a lead-off walk followed by a double and a triple that brought in three. A single and another double scored two more and Titus Groeneweg capped a five-run inning with a RBI ground out. An error got the Titans their first run of the game in the top of the third, but UNOH kept rolling in their half of the inning. The Racers did most of the work themselves putting together three doubles and three singles, but IU-South Bend didn't help their own cause giving up four walks, two wild pitches, a hit batter and an error that combined to put UNOH in control, 16-1, with a ten-run inning. The Titans put up one in the top of the fourth, but couldn't stop the bleeding on the defensive side with the Racers adding four more in the bottom. A lead-off double and an error scored the first with back-to-back singles bringing in two more. An RBI fielder's choice capped off the the inning and put UNOH up 20-2. A double and an error scored two in the fifth with two more doubles in the sixth capping off a 25-run outing for the Racers. 

Nolan Hull and Tim Hanible led the team with five RBI each. Hull finished 3-5 at the plate and Hanible went 2-4. Cy Kerber led the team in hits going 4-5 with four RBI. Tyler Grigalis was 3-6 with one RBI and Drake Miller hit 2-5 with two RBI.

UNOH finished with eleven doubles in the game, topping the program record set last season.

Nick Johnson (1-1) picked up the win after working three and two-thirds innings with two runs given up, one earned off three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Tony Manzano threw one and a third in relief with no hits, one walk and two strikeouts. Jacob Landers finished the final two frames with one run off three hits with no walks and four strikeouts.

Game 2: UNOH 15 IUK 5

UNOH went down in order to start the game and the Cougars struck first with two runs in their first at bat. That lead didn't last long as the Racers got both back with an error and a Noah Matheson single in the second. The 2-2 score held into the fourth where UNOH took control with five runs. The Racers used small ball to load the bases with three steals, two walks and a hit batter setting up Drake Miller for a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle. Titus Groeneweg continued his big weekend blasting a three-run shot to put his team up 7-2. IU-Kokomo shaved two runs in the bottom of the fourth and both teams traded a run in the fifth to put UNOH up 8-5 entering the sixth. A lead off triple from Tyler Grigalis set the stage for what would become a seven-run frame for the Racers. A walk and an error followed to score the first and Joskar Feliciano singled up the gut to score two more. The Cougars assisted their own demise giving up four straight walks and a passed ball that plated four and put UNOH up 15-5. IU-Kokomo managed just one hit over their next two at-bats as the Racers finished off the ten-run win.

Titus Groeneweg finished with four RBI going 2-3 at the plate. Noah Matheson went 2-2 with one RBI with Feliciano and Drake Miller each adding two RBI.

AJ Buchman (1-1) picked up the win going three and two-thirds innings off the start. Buchman gave up four runs off three hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. Michael Joyce and Jack Olberding combined for two and a third innings of relief work. Joyce gave up one run on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Olberding gave up just one hit with two walks and four strikeouts. Eliott Traver capped the win with a clean seventh striking out one. 

UNOH heads to Kentucky next for a three-game series against Campbellsville. The teams will play a double-header at HIG Field on Saturday, February 24 beginning at 12:00 PM before finishing off with a single game on Sunday at 1:00 PM.