Baseball extends win streak to six games, sweeps Thomas More (Ky.) 2-1, 13-7
By Caleb Scott
CRESTVIEW HILL, Ky. — The Ohio Northern baseball team extended its winning streak to six games as it swept Thomas More (Ky.) 2-1, 13-7 on Sunday afternoon at Thomas More Field.
The Polar Bears improve to 10-3 overall, while the Saints fall to 2-7.
ONU swept the 3-game series at Thomas More after defeating the Saints 10-9 in extra innings on Thursday afternoon.
In the first contest, Northern scored first in a low-scoring affair as senior Jason Burkett (Maumee) broke a 0-0 tie with a solo home run to left field to give ONU a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
The Polar Bears pushed the lead to 2-0 in the top of the seventh inning after junior Luke Klinehoffer (Zanesville/John Glenn) hit a double down the left field line and plated senior Brandon Kasberg (Mentor).
TMC would tally a run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the pitching combination of sophomore Scott Beaton (Novi, Mich.) and senior T.J. Storer (Loveland/Moeller) would help lift ONU to the 2-1 victory.
Storer recorded his fifth save in the victory.
Sophomore Jack Schaller (Bowling Green) earned the victory on the mound and improved to 2-0 on the year after tying a career-best mark with 11 K's.
The Polar Bears broke the second contest wide open over the course of the first four innings, outscoring Thomas More 12-2.
In the top of the first inning, a single from Burkett and a 3-RBI home run to right field from sophomore Phil Buckingham (Wayne/Elmwood) gave ONU an early 4-0 lead.
The Polar Bears continued to extend their lead in the top of the second inning following a solo home run from senior Dan Barna (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley), a double from junior Caleb Thomas (Strongsville) and a groundout RBI from freshman Matthew Burkett (Maumee) to push the lead to 7-0.
The Saints scored once in the bottom of the second inning before Kasberg, Klinehoffer and Matthew Burkett recorded hits in the top of the third inning to add three more runs to Northern's lead, making it 10-1 through three innings.
Buckingham was able to score in the top of the fourth inning on a defensive error from the TMC pitcher and a single from Kasberg plated senior Kyle Schlade (Hamilton/Talawanda) to give ONU a 12-1 lead.
Thomas More would score six runs over the next four innings, but an insurance run in the top of the ninth and the Polar Bear defense would close out the 13-7 victory to complete the sweep.
Junior Austin Frey (Peoria, Az./Sunrise Mountain) earned the victory on the mound, improving to a perfect 3-0 on the year. Frey struck out a game-high six batters in the victory.
The Polar Bears return to action on Tuesday as they open their home schedule at Wander Field with a 4 p.m. contest with Trine (Ind.).