Gibbons has two doubles and four RBIs to lead Baseball to 18-12 win over Wesley (Del.)

By Steven Wright

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Senior second baseman Greg Gibbons went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four runs batted in to lead the Ohio Northern baseball team to an 18-12 victory over Wesley (Del.) at the Polo Grounds at the Ripken Experience.

The Polar Bears stay undefeated on the year and better their record to 3-0. The Wolverines are now 3-2 on the year.

Sophomore Cody Fisher picked up his second victory of the season in his second start of the year. He pitched six innings, struck out four batters and gave up five earned runs.

Wesley scored its first run in the top of the first inning without hitting a ball out of the infield.

Northern answered with four of its own in the bottom of the second to take a 4-1 lead.

Senior Loren Fleischman picked up ONU's first RBI with a ground out that plated sophomore Matt Hampshire from third base. Sophomore Eric Yunker doubled down the left field line in the next at bat to bring home junior Mike Hoelzel.

After senior Aaron Lee singled to center field, Gibbons hit his first double of the game to left center to drive in Yunker and Lee.

WC took their final lead of the game by scoring two in the top of the third and the top of the fourth to take a 5-4 advantage. ONU then scored eight in the fourth and six in the fifth to take a commanding 18-5 lead that they would not relinquish.

The biggest hit in the fourth inning came off the bat of Hampshire when he crushed a bases loaded double to right center that cleared the bases of senior Brett Katana, junior Adam Yunker and senior Matt Rader.

Fleischman and Eric Yunker each picked up an RBI in the six-run fifth inning to help the Polar Bear cause.

Wesley scored seven in the top of the seventh to attempt a comeback, but the Polar Bears would shut down the Wolverines over the last two innings to earn the victory.

Senior Kevin Sigg threw 1 1/3 innings in the seventh and eighth innings and recorded two strikeouts while giving up no runs. Katana then came in the game in the ninth inning and sat WC down in order to finish the game.

Ohio Northern will wrap up its spring trip tomorrow at 9 am against Penn State Berks.