Belliveau, Obarski lead Baseball in double header split at St. Francis (Ind.)

By: Andrew Korba

FORT WAYNE (Ind.) -- The Ohio Northern baseball team split a double header against NAIA foe St. Francis (Ind.) on Wednesday afternoon at Cougar Field.

The Polar Bears now stand at 9-10 on the season, while the Cougars are 8-11.

ONU captured Game 1 by a 3-2 score in eight innings, but fell in the second game 6-3.

In Game 1, ONU broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning on an RBI single by sophomore Dan Belliveau.

The Cougars jumped on the board first in the third inning on a RBI single.

The Polar Bears responded with two runs in the fourth to take the lead.

Freshman Nick Eltzroth led off the inning with a single.

After a strikeout, senior Kevin Obarski ripped a double to left, advancing Eltzroth to third.

Sophomore Jack LaMarca followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game and senior Cory Martin singled to score Obarski and put ONU up 2-1.

St. Francis would tie the game in the seventh inning on an RBI single.

But the Polar Bears took the lead in the eighth and freshman Alex Crabtree (1-0) pitched around a two out double to end the ballgame.

Junior Tyler Deitering pitched five solid innings for ONU, scattering one run and striking out two batters.

Belliveau was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Eltzroth was also 2-for-4 with a run scored.

In Game 2, St. Francis scored first in the third inning, but Northern responded in the fourth with a run on a single by Obarski.

The Cougars came right back to take a 2-1 lead in its half of the fourth, on a sacrifice fly.

The Polar Bears would take the lead in the fifth inning.

Freshman Clay Small led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a single from Crabtree.

Freshman Cody Meyer followed with a sacrifice fly, to tie the game at 2-2, but Crabtree was thrown out trying to advance on the play.

Senior Devin Kisor would then single and steal second.

Freshman Grant Wilson followed with a single to score Kisor and put ONU up 3-2.

But St. Francis would respond with four runs in the fifth to take the lead for good.

Freshman Cal VonStein went four innings for ONU, giving up three earned runs on five hits.

Junior Matt Magni pitched 1.2 innings in relief and struck out four batters.

Obarski paced the ONU offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Ohio Northern will return to action on Thursday, when it takes on Ohio Wesleyan in a single nine inning game at 4 pm.