UNOH Sweeps Lourdes in Offensive Showdown

LIMA, OH - UNOH (6-10, 3-1) and Lourdes (6-9, 2-2) combined to score 49 runs with 47 hits and 45 RBI over the two games. The Racers had to come from behind to walk-off game one 7-6 before the offense exploded in a run-rule 26-10 win in game two.

Game 1: UNOH 7 Lourdes 6 (7 Innings)

The only hit of the first inning was a three-run bomb off the bat of Ben Jackson that put the Racers on top early. The Gray Wolves got one back in the second and, despite loading the bases in the bottom, UNOH came up empty in their next at-bat. Lourdes came alive in the third scoring four to take a 5-3 lead. The Racers went down in order in the bottom and the Gray Wolves added one on in the fifth. In the bottom of the frame, a lead off double, a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases for UNOH. Josue Ortiz walked to bring in one and Nolan Hull bought in another on a fielder's choice to short. Eliomar Otero tied the game with an RBI single and the game entered the sixth tied at six.

Neither team could get a hit in the inning giving Lourdes a chance to take control in the seventh. The Gray Wolves snuck in a two-out single, but UNOH kept them off the board. With two outs in the home seventh, Nolan Hull got the Racers started with a single that was followed by two more by Eliomar Otero and Drake Miller to score the game winning run.

Eliomar Otero finished 3-4 in the game with one RBI while Drake Miller went 2-4 with the walk off RBI. Ben Jackson was 1-3 but finished with three RBI off his first-inning homer.

Michael Joyce went two and two-thirds innings off the start giving up four hits and five runs with five strikeouts and four walks. Nick Johnson, AJ Buchman and Jack Olberding combined in middle relief for three and two-thirds innings of work giving up just one run off two hits with six strikeouts and five walks. Jeremy Yurcak (1-4) pitched the final inning to earn his first win of the season retiring three of the four batters he faced.

Game 2: UNOH 26 Lourdes 10 (7 Innings)

After Lourdes went down in order, Erick Castro opened the home first with a double up the middle. After two straight line outs, Ben Jackson got the run home with a single to left. The Racers gave up one hit in the second but took care of the next two batters to hold the Gray Wolves at bay. The bottom of the frame began with two errors that scored one and set the stage for the Racers' biggest inning of the season. Erick Castro brought in three with his second home run of the season. Following a Lourdes pitching change, four straight singles scored five more runs as UNOH took control 11-0. The Racers were just getting started, though, as they continued to pour it on in the third. Three walks, two singles, two hit batters and a balk translated into five more runs and a 16-0 lead after three. UNOH retired the side for just the second time all day and Ben Jackson lit the board again in the bottom of three with a two-run homer to left. The fifth saw Lourdes go down in order again and Erick Castro added another with a double in the bottom to put UNOH up 19-0 heading into the sixth.

The Gray Wolves took advantage of back-to-back walks to lead off the inning. The next four batters went single-single-double-single and Lourdes had four runs on the scoreboard. The inning continued to spiral for the Racers as three wild pitches, two walks, one hit batter and one error followed before consecutive doubles finished off a ten-run inning for Lourdes cutting the lead nine, 19-10. UNOH didn't take long to respond as two singles led off the home sixth. Nolan Hull used a sac fly to score one and Eliomar Otero brought in two with a RBI single down the right field line. Erick Castro singled, Diego Clariot doubled and Justice Panton singled to give UNOH seven runs in the inning and a 26-10 lead in the game. The only excitement of the seventh for the Gray Wolves came from a walk as the Racers completed the two-game sweep with the second highest run total in program history.

Erick Castro and Eliomar Otero each set career highs with five RBI a piece combining to go 8-9 in the game. Ben Jackson and Drake Miller each went 2-3 with three RBI. Nathan Alvarez also brought in three going 2-5 at the plate. Nolan Hull and Diego Clariot added two RBI each. As a team, UNOH recorded 25 RBI in the game, the most ever against a conference opponent and the second most all-time. The Racers also saw six batters get hit by pitches matching the program record.

Wyatt Johnson (1-1) pitched five strong innings in his fourth start of the season picking up his first career win at UNOH. Johnson gave up just two runs off two hits while striking out two and walking four. Tony Manzano and Shane Johnson combined for just a third inning of relief. Manzano gave up six runs, five earned, off four hits with a walk and a strikeout. Eliott Traver took care of the final inning and two thirds giving up just one run off two hits with a walk and a strikeout.

UNOH returns to Racer Field Friday and Saturday this week, March 24-25, for a four game series against Cornerstone. Double-headers each day will see a 1:00 PM first pitch.