Baseball opens 2014 season with doubleheader split against Neumann (Pa.)

By: Andrew Korba

FORT MYERS (Fla.) -- The Ohio Northern baseball team opened the 2014 season with a doubleheader split against Neumann (Pa.) on Sunday at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Polar Bears are 1-1 on the season, while the Knights are 2-3.

Both games were seven innings with ONU taking the first contest 6-1 and falling in the second game 4-2 in 10 innings.

In Game 1, sophomore Nick Eltzroth pitched all seven innings, surrendering just one run and striking out four.

After Neumann scored a run in the first, Northern responded with three in the second inning.

Sophomore Reed Allen led off the inning with a walk, stole second and move to third on a passed ball.

Following an out, junior Brady Foley drew a walk.

Sophomore Alex Crabtree stepped up and ripped a single, scoring Allen and moving Foley to third.

Junior Derek Lenardos followed with a bunt single, that scored Foley.

A few batters later, junior Jack LaMarca singled, scoring Foley.

ONU tacked on another run in the third on a RBI single by sophomore Clay Small.

In the sixth, Lenardos drove in Foley on a bunt to make it 5-1 in favor of the Polar Bears.

Lenardos would come around to score on a RBI groundout by sophomore Andy Lubonovic.

Lenardos finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI, while LaMarca was 2-for-3 with a RBI.

In the second game, the Knights jumped in front in the sixth on a RBI single.

ONU responded in its half of the sixth, on a two run homer to right by junior Dan Belliveau.

The Knights would tie the game in the seventh and score two runs in the 10th inning to get the win.

Sophomore Ben Glischinski went six innings, giving up one earned run and striking out two, picking up a no-decision.

Ohio Northern will return to action on Monday, when it continues play in Florida against Thiel (Pa.) at 1 pm.