Baseball gets back to winning ways with 10-0 victory over Wittenberg
By Caleb Scott
SPRINGFIELD -- The Ohio Northern baseball team got back to its winning ways as they defeated Wittenberg 10-0 Wednesday evening at Carleton Davidson Stadium in Springfield.
The Polar Bears improve to 15-14 overall and remain 5-7 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Tigers fall to 7-19.
Senior Andy Lubonovic led the way for Northern at the plate as he went 4-for-6 and added three runs.
Northern jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Lubonovic got on base with a single and advanced to second after an error from the short stop.
On the ensuing at bat senior Cody Meyer would hit a sac bunt to advance Lubonovic to third base before Lubonovic scored on an error from the first baseman.
The Polar Bears would add one more as senior Nick Eltzroth hit his third career home run and pushed the lead to 2-0.
Northern would extend the lead to 3-0 in the top of the seventh inning as Lubonovic got on base and stole his league-leading 16th base of the season, before sophomore Jordan Bostater drove him home with an RBI single to right field.
Ohio Northern was able to add four more runs in the top of the eighth inning to push the lead to 7-0.
Sophomores Brandon Kasberg and Dan McMullen were able to get in scoring position in the eighth inning before freshman Luke Klinehoffer drove them home with a two RBI shot to the short stop.
After Lubonovic and Klinehoffer advanced to second and third on a passed ball the duo was able to score on a pair on wild pitches to push the lead to 7-0.
In the ninth inning Ohio Northern added three insurance runs as junior Jacob Lochard, sophomore Jason Burkett and Kasberg all scored.
Junior Zach Maier earned the victory on the mound for the Polar Bears to improve to 1-2 on the year.
Sophomore T.J. Storer earned his team-best and conference-best seventh save of the season and moves within one save of tying the all-time leader in Polar Bear history for first place on the career saves list.
Northern will return to action Thursday as they travel to Kalamazoo (Mich.) to take on the Hornets at 4 pm.