Chayten Overholt records walk-off, two-out, two-run single as Baseball edges Albion (Mich.) 2-1

By Bud Denega 

AUBURNDALE, Fla. — The Ohio Northern baseball team waited until the last possible moment to score runs Saturday against Albion (Mich.) during the Russ Matt Invitational. Sophomore Chayten Overholt (Delphos/Lincolnview) recorded a walk-off, two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning, which gave the Polar Bears a 2-1 victory in a game played on Lake Myrtle #1. 

Northern returns home with a 5-5 overall record, having gone 5-2 in Florida. 

Saturday's game was a pitchers' duel between ONU senior Jack Schaller (Bowling Green) and Albion's Rudy Ochoa. Schaller pitched marvelously, twirling 8.2 innings of one-run baseball. He scattered six hits and struck out eight.

The lone run Schaller yielded occurred in the top of the ninth inning, as Andrew Arszulowicz registered a two-out RBI double. Northern senior Scott Beaton (Novi, Mich.) logged the final out of the ninth, inducing a ground ball, en route to earning the win. 

Ochoa also didn't allow a run until he had two outs in the final inning. He finished with a stat line of six hits, 11 strikeouts and both runs were unearned. 

Junior Mathew Burkett (Maumee) begun the bottom of the ninth with a walk. Senior Nate Bye (Thorntown, Ind./Western Boone) pinch ran for Burkett and advanced to second on junior Krue Thwaits (Greenville/Milton-Union) ground ball that Ochoa botched. Freshman Nate Webb (Liberty, Ind./Union County) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting the stage for Overholt.  

Junior Michael Rocco (Orlando, Fla. / Zionsville (Ind.)) recorded the lone multi-hit game for Northern, going 2-for-4. 

The Polar Bears return to the diamond Friday for the start of a three-game set against Rose-Hulman (Ind.).