UNOH Shells Concordia with 30 Runs in WHAC Opening Day Sweep

LIMA, OH - UNOH baseball increased their winning streak to ten games on the opening day of WHAC play sweeping their doubleheader against Concordia 14-10 and 16-6.

The Cardinals hit first in game one doubling and singling with two outs in the second to score one. The lead was short-lived, however, as a three-run bomb came off the bat of Seth Freeman in the bottom of the inning and put UNOH in front. A double and a single followed to added another and the Racers carried a 4-1 lead into the third. Neither team could get a run across in the third, despite both getting runners in scoring position, but the flood gates opened in the fourth as the two combined to score 13 runs. Concordia did most of the damage putting together an eight-run frame to go up 9-4, but the Racers scored five of their own and tied the game back up at 9-9. It started with another Freeman homerun, this time a solo shot to left center, before going double, single, single to added the second. Eliomar Otero stepped up with runners on first and second and ripped a three-run shot to even the game after four. 

After the teams traded runs in the fifth, UNOH came alive with two outs in the sixth stringing together two singles and a double to put them up for good, 14-10.

Daniel Healy went three and a third innings off the start giving up four runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Jeremy Yurcak entered the fourth to try to stop the bleeding but was unable to record an out allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits with one walk. Josh Mauney finally got out of the jam and tossed an inning and two thirds giving up two runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Dean Sommer (1-1) earned the decision with two innings of work with one hit, one strikeout and no walks.

Unlike the first, UNOH never trailed in the second game scoring two in their first at bat with three singles and a sac fly. Concordia did manage to tie the game with a two-run home in the top of the second, but it didn't last long with the Racers plating three more in the bottom. Two walks and wild pitch set up a two RBI double for Fabian Romero followed by back-to-back two-out singles that brought in the third. This time, UNOH was able to add to the lead scoring eight runs over the fourth and the fifth to holda 13-3 lead going into the seventh inning. One out away from a run-rule victory, the Racers gave up an error that preceded a double and a single cutting the lead back to seven and force another offensive trip for UNOH. They were able to get two of the three back in the home seventh but couldn't get the third across forcing one more inning. The Cardinals went away in order to start the frame and the Racers worked the bases loaded with one out in the bottom. Eliomar Otero delivered again sending a deep fly ball to center field that did enough to score Josh Ledgard from third and give Otero a walk off sac fly.

Brayden Lybarger (3-1) struggled early but found his grove and managed to finish off six innings allowing three runs on just two hits while striking out nine and walking five to earn the win. Eliott Traver tossed the final two innings seeing three unearned runs score on three hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

Eliomar Otero had a monster day finishing 6-8 with eleven RBI while hitting for the cycle over the two games. Fabian Romero went 5-7 with four RBI and Seth Freeman hit 4-6 with seven RBI.

With Sunday's doubleheader against Lourdes postponed due to weather, UNOH will be off until Saturday, March 22 when they host Aquinas at Racer Field.