Hill pitches complete game shutout as ONU earns split with Manchester (Ind.)

ADA — Led by strong pitching performances from junior Brian Hill and sophomore Drew Robinson, the Ohio Northern men's baseball team split a double header with Manchester (Ind.) on Thursday at Wander Field.

Hill pitched a complete game shutout to pick up his first victory of the season, 6-0, in Game 1 for the Polar Bears (8-11), while the Spartans (11-8) scored runs in the fourth and fifth innings to win Game 2, 2-1.

Hill allowed only two hits and one walk, while throwing seven strikeouts in seven innings to improve his record to 1-3 on the season.

The win marked Hill's first career shutout and fifth complete game of his career.

"I had a lot more confidence this game," Hill said.

"The defense played really well for me."

Offensively, Northern cranked out eight hits in Game 1 as sophomores Greg Gibbons and Robinson each recorded two RBIs.

Gibbons and freshman Chris Sobieray got the Polar Bears going with back-to-back singles in ONU's first at bats of the first inning.

Later in the first, Robinson doubled to right center to score sophomore Loren Fleischman and Sobieray and give ONU an early 2-0 lead.

With Hill in control of the Spartans, the Polar Bears tacked on four more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Manchester pitchers Wes Bucher and Josh Atkinson loaded the bases for the Polar Bears with one out before sophomore Brandan Hubbard singled to center field to score sophomore Brett Katana.

With two outs, Gibbons hit another single to center field which scored Adam Grof and Robinson.

Sobieray followed Gibbons with a single that scored Hubbard and gave ONU a 6-0 lead at the end of the sixth.

After allowing a walk and hitting Manchester's Danner Partridge in the seventh, Hill settled down and struck out the next two hitters before forcing a ground out to end the game and earn the victory.

Bucher dropped to 0-4 on the mound for the Spartans.

Robinson went six innings, allowing only five hits and one earned run while striking out eight in the Game 2 loss.

The second end of the double header was scoreless until Manchester's Ty Foster hit a one-out single to left field to score Matty Miller in the top of the fourth.

The Spartans added to their lead in the fifth when Josh Buell stole second and reached home on a two-base fielding error by Gibbons.

Manchester took the 2-0 lead into the seventh inning where ONU threatened as rain started pouring onto the field.

Sophomore Regan Teague led off the final inning with a double.

Sophomore Brandon Aselage followed with a single that scored pinch runner freshman Adam Yunker to pull Northern within a run.

However, Manchester brought its its ERA-leader, Curtis Mallery, who promptly struck out Fleischman and Katana to gain the save.

Robinson moved to 0-4 with the loss, but leads ONU offensively with 12 RBIs and a .352 batting average.

Derek Hanson improved to 2-0 after pitching four scoreless innings for the Spartans in Game 2.

"Our guys played hard and were very competitive," ONU head coach Justin Bergman said.

"These two games will prepare us as we open league play this weekend.

Manchester is a great team."

ONU opens Ohio Athletic Conference play this Saturday when it hosts Mount Union for a double header beginning at 1 p.m. at Wander Field.