Freshman Hunter Kauser hits first career homer as Baseball falls to Immaculata (Pa.)

By Wes Mayberry

DAVENPORT, Fla. — Freshman Hunter Kauser (Paulding/Exempted Village) homered off the first pitch he saw in his collegiate career on Monday to lead the Ohio Northern baseball team in its 9-4 loss to Immaculata (Pa.) in the RussMatt Invitational tournament at Northeast Regional Park.

The Polar Bears fall to 0-3 overall while the Mighty Macs improve to 3-3.

Pinch-hitting for sophomore Dakota Durick (New Castle, Ind.) with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Kauser hit the first pitch of his at-bat out of the park for a solo home run to bring ONU within 9-2.

The Polar Bears added to their rally by loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth via a leadoff double from senior Sam Zeleznik (Hinckley/Highland) followed by a walk to junior Jacob Wenning (Coldwater) and a single from senior Chayten Overholt (Delphos/Lincolnview).

Pinch-hitting, sophomore Noah Truax (Lewis Center/Bishop Watterson) was hit by a pitch to bring home a run, and freshman Sam Sells (Columbus/Olentangy Orange) followed with an RBI single to make it a 9-4 game.

IU pitcher Andrew Rodriguez was able to work out of the jam, though, inducing three consecutive outs, including a pair of strikeouts, to end the game.

The Mighty Macs opened the scoring with a run in the first inning and never trailed.

Trailing 3-0, ONU plated a run in the bottom of the fifth following back-to-back singles from junior Vinny Sclafani (Oak Brook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) and freshman Ethan Spears (Oregon/Clay). Sclafani later scored on a wild pitch.

IU added three runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings to take control.

Junior Tim Knapschaefer (Maria Stein/Marion Local) got the pitching start for ONU and allowed one earned run and two walks while striking out four over four innings.

The Polar Bears will continue their spring break trip on Tuesday with a game against New Jersey City at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Fla., at 10:15 a.m.