Sankovich tosses sixth complete game as ONU Baseball earns split with JCU

ADA — Led by a strong pitching performance from senior Mark Sankovich, the Ohio Northern baseball team captured a 4-2 victory over John Carroll in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Monday at Wander Field before dropping Game 2, 10-3.

The Ohio Athletic Conference games were originally scheduled for Saturday, but weather delays pushed the game to Monday.

The split moved the Polar Bears to 11-16 overall and 3-4 in the OAC, while the Blue Streaks move to 15-7 overall and 6-3 in the OAC.

Sankovich gave up six hits, two walks and two runs in seven innings to pick up his sixth complete game of the season in Game 1.

The right-hander struck out seven batters and improved to 6-2.

"I felt pretty good today," said Sankovich.

"My curveball wasn't working that well but I was hitting the corners with my fastball pretty well."

The Polar Bears opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a pair of runs.

With two outs, Drew Robinson singled through the left side and right fielder Brett Katana followed with a walk.

Catcher Adam Grof then laced a single to right that scored Robinson.

The throw home from JCU's Matt Pangallo got past the catcher and allowed Katana to score all the way from first.

The Blue Streaks answered with two runs in the top of the second to tie the game at 2-2.

Back-to-back singles from Pangallo and Adam Sockel were followed by a one-out RBI single from Christopher Cairo.

Mike Carbo then ripped a liner to right that scored Sockel and pulled the Blue Streaks even.

In the Polar Bear third, Gibbons walked to start the inning and found himself on third with two outs. Katana came through with a clutch, RBI single through the left side to give ONU a 3-2 lead.

The Bears added an insurance run in the sixth as Grof again singled through the left side to score pinch runner Matt Rader to give ONU a 4-2 lead.

JCU's Matt Bott reached with a one-out walk in the seventh but Sankovich got Carbo to pop up and Ryan Lewis, the reigning OAC Hitter of the Week, struck out swinging to end the game.

In Game 2, John Carroll roared out to a 9-0 lead as its pitcher, Tony Evanko, gave up only one hit in six innings of work.

The Blue Streaks opened the scoring in the third inning.

Lewis singled, stole second, reached third on a throwing error by Grof and scored after a wild pitch by ONU junior pitcher Brian Hill.

A batter later, Michael Krainz walked and moved to second on a ground out by Sean McCarthy before scoring on an RBI single by Sockel.

In the sixth inning, JCU made the score 3-0 by hitting three singles up the middle.

Carbo's RBI shot up the middle scored Joe Bott.

The Blue Streaks erupted for five runs in the seventh.

JCU loaded the bases with one out and a fielding error by Robinson allowed a pair of JCU runs in.

Christopher Cairo followed with an RBI single and Carbo pushed another run in with a sacrifice fly.

The Blue streaks made the score 8-0 on an RBI single by Lewis.

Northern put three on the board with two outs in the eighth.

Grof and Hubbard each had RBI singles and Grof scored after an error.

Robinson got the only hit off of Evanko in the sixth, a single to right field.

The first baseman finished the day 4-for-7.

Hill gave up four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings to drop to 2-4, while Evanko improved to 5-0.

Ohio Northern travels to Tiffin tomorrow to face Heidelberg in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.