Four Polar Bears have 2-hit games to lead Baseball to season-opening win over Eastern (Pa.) 7-3
By Steven Wright
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Seniors Matt Rader, Loren Fleischman and Aaron Lee and sophomore Eric Yunker all had two hits to help the Ohio Northern baseball team win its season opener against Eastern (Pa.) 7-3 Monday afternoon at Griffith Field.
The Polar Bears are now 1-0 on the year, while the Eagles begin their season 0-1.
Sophomore pitcher Cody Fisher went seven innings, striking out five batters and giving up just two earned runs to earn the victory for ONU.
Senior Brett Katana earned the save in 1 1/3 innings of work. Katana struck out two batters and did not allow a hit or a walk.
Rader added a triple and two RBIs on the day, while junior Adam Yunker (1-for-2) also had a triple and 2 RBIs on the day.
Eastern put the pressure on in the top of the first inning, drawing three walks and getting hit by a Fisher pitch to take a 1-0 lead without getting a hit.
Northern used a three-run second inning to take the lead for good.
With the bases full of Polar Bears and one out in the bottom of the second, senior Greg Gibbons hit a ground ball to third base. Fleischman scored on the play when Gibbons beat out the double play attempt to keep the inning alive.
Gibbons stole second to put runners on second and third before Rader nailed his two-run triple over the center fielder's head.
After a quiet third inning, ONU plated three more in the bottom of the fourth.
With two outs and runners on the corners, Adam Yunker delivered his two-RBI triple that sailed over the head of the left fielder.
One batter lated, Katana, who began the game as the designated hitter, sent one right back up the middle for an RBI single.
Eastern chipped away at the lead and cut the deficit to 6-3 after scoring a run in the the sixth and the eighth innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Eric Yunker smoked a double down the right field line and scored a batter later when Lee singled up the middle.
The Polar Bear defense was solid throughout the day and turned three double plays.
The first came in the fourth inning after a leadoff single by Eastern's Devon Ziegenfuss. Jim Crowley was doubled up when Lee collected the ball across the middle, tapped second base and fired onto first baseman Matt Hampshire.
Junior Mike Hoelzel began an impressive double play in the seventh inning. With the runner on first attempting to steal second, Scott Renauro hit a sharp ground ball that Hoelzel quickly fielded and fired to Gibbons at second, who tossed it to Hampshire.
Relief pitcher Jacob Drerup started the final double on a shot back to the mound in the eighth.
The Polar Bears are scheduled to play tomorrow against the College of Staten Island (N.Y.). Game time is slated for noon at the Polo Grounds at the Ripken Experience facility.