Baseball opens 2013 season with split against Hiram

By: Andrew Korba

FORT MYERS (Fla.) -- The Ohio Northern baseball team opened up its 2013 season with a doubleheader split against Hiram at the Gene Cusic Classic.

The Polar Bears are now 1-1 on the season and the Terriers are also 1-1.

Northern won Game 1 15-1, and gave up a late lead in Game 2, falling 4-3.

In Game 1, senior Austin Price (1-0) pitched five dominant innings, scattering two hits and striking out nine.

Northern grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning and tacked on four more runs in the second inning to open up a 5-0 lead.

The Polar Bears exploded in the third, plating 10 runs, all with two outs.

Sophomore Jack LaMarca and junior Brian Thomas both drew bases loaded walks for the first two runs.

Sophomore Dan Belliveau would then single, driving in senior Devin Kisor and LaMarca to give ONU a 9-0 advantage.

Senior Cory Martin followed with a single to score Thomas.

Freshman Grant Wilson would walk to load the bases.

Freshman Nick Eltzroth singled to drive in another run and senior Kevin Obarski was hit by a pitch to put ONU on top 12-0.

Kisor would then reach on an error and Wilson, Eltzroth and Obarski all scored on the play to put ONU up 15-0.

Belliveau went 2-for-3 with three RBI's, while Thomas was 2-for-2 with three RBI's.

In Game 2, ONU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

LaMarca led off the game with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a single by Thomas.

Belliveau then ripped a triple scoring both LaMarca and Thomas.

He would then score on a passed ball.

The Terriers hung around and plated three runs in the sixth inning off of junior Tyler Deitering (0-1).

Freshman Zach Maier went five innings, giving up just one run on two hits.

Nate Weiss picked up the win for Hiram, holding ONU scoreless for the final six innings.

Ohio Northern will return to action on Monday when it takes on Neumann (Pa.) on Monday at 10 am.