Late rally falls short as Baseball drops 8-5 decision to LaRoche (Pa.)

By Tim Glon

AUBURNDALE, Fla. — Ohio Northern loaded the bases in the top of the ninth, but were not able to push the tying run across in an 8-5 baseball loss to LaRoche (Pa.) on Friday afternoon at the RussMatt Invitational at Lake Myrtle Park Field #4.

The Polar Bears fall to 1-5, while the Redhawks improve to 3-3.

Junior Nate Webb (Bath, Ind./Union County) and freshman Joey Kennedy (Sterling Heights, Mich./Foley Catholic) each went 3-for-5 and senior Corey McMann (Flower Mound, Tex./Liberty Christian) was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI to lead the ONU offense.

Northern scored once in the top of the eighth to get within 8-5, then loaded the bases in the top of the ninth on a hit and two LC errors, but could not keep the rally going to take the loss.

ONU scored quickly in the top of the first when McMann tripled home sophomore Dakota Durick (New Castle, Ind.) and then scored on a single by Webb to grab a quick 2-0 lead.

Senior Sam Zeleznik (Hinckley/Highland) made it 3-1 in the top of the second when he walked, stole second and scored on a wild pitch.

LaRoche scored twice in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and added a single tally in the seventh to grab an 8-4 lead.

The Polar Bears will continue their spring break trip on Saturday with a double header against Franklin & Marshall (Pa.)