Racers Complete 4-Game Sweep of Cornerstone

LIMA, OH – UNOH (10-10, 7-1) had to battle through wind and rain but managed to fight off a pesky Cornerstone (10-16, 3-5) squad to complete the four-game sweep. After taking the first two games Friday, the Racers had to dig out of a 7-1 hole to win game three 11-9 but never trailed in game four winning 13-6.

Game 1: UNOH 11 Cornerstone 9 (7 Innings)

An error aided the Racers first run of the game and they found themselves down 7-1 before recording their first hit of the day. Two walks and double finally got the offense on track for UNOH in the home third. With bases loaded, a wild pitch gave the Racers one and an RBI single from Nolan Hull scored another. With a loaded deck and two outs, Alex Velasco cleared the bases with a double down the left field line cutting the lead to just one after three. After holding the Golden Eagles at bay their next time up, UNOH took control in the bottom of the fourth. The Racers started double-single-single to tie the game at seven. Darius Freeman gave them the lead with a sac fly before Nolan Hull added one more with an RBI single up the gut. After giving up the tying two runs in the fifth, UNOH got them right back with a two-RBI single off the bat of Erick Castro to go up 11-9. Each team had a double over the final inning and a half, but that was the only offense either could produce the rest of the way.

Alex Velasco put together his best outing of the season at the dish going two for two with four RBI. Nolan Hull also had a season high three hits on four at bats bringing in two. Erick Castro finished 2-3 with two RBI and Eliomar Otero went 2-4 in the game.

Wyatt Johnson went two and a third off his fifth start of the season giving up seven hits and seven runs with three walks and three strikeouts. Jeremy Suarez pitched two thirds of one hit ball in relief. Jeremy Yurcak tossed one and a third giving up two runs, one earned, off three hits with one strikeout. Eliot Traver (2-0) picked up the win after an inning and two thirds of work. Traver gave up just two hits while striking out three and Walter Long faced the minimum in the seventh to earn his first career save.

Game 2: UNOH 13 Cornerstone 6

Both teams threatened in the first, but neither could get a run home. After Nick Johnson struck out the side looking to start the second, UNOH used a hit batter, a double and a balk to score the first run of the game. The Golden Eagles remained hitless after their third attempt of the game and the Racers again found unconventional ways to light the board. A double and a single led off the inning giving UNOH their first traditional run of the game. After two walks loaded the bases, a passed ball brought in a third run. Alex Velasco used a grounder to bring in another and go up 4-0 after three. The next six Racer batters went down in order and Cornerstone chipped away the lead with one in the fourth, fifth and sixth. In a 4-3 game, UNOH saw their offense come alive as the home sixth led off with three straight singles loading the bases. Ben Jackson filled the role and went yard to right field for his second career grand slam blowing the game open. An error, a walk and two singles gave the Racers six total runs in the inning and a 10-3 lead after six.

The Golden Eagles shaved off three in the seventh but UNOH waisted no time getting all three back. An error and a sacrifice bunt got the inning started and put Drake Miller on third. Justice Pantone brought him home on another bunt and Seth Freeman followed with a double up the middle score Pantone. Tyler Grigalis finished off the inning with an RBI single to right and the Racers were back up seven 13-6. After a scoreless eighth, Cornerstone threatened with consecutive singles to lead off the inning. Michael Joyce locked in and struck out the next three batters to give UNOH the series sweep and their seventh straight win.

Ben Jackson led the team with his four RBI while Tyler Grigalis finished 3-4 with two RBI. Eliomar Otero recorded his fifth multi-hit game in his last seven outings going 2-5 in the game. Nick Johnson (1-0) picked up his first win in his first career start. Johnson tossed three and two thirds innings giving up one run off just two hits with four walks and a career high eight strikeouts. Sinjon Bobolia worked two and a third in relief giving up two runs, one earned, off three hits with a walk and a strikeout. Michael Joyce fought through the final three innings with three runs given up, two earned, off six hits while walking one and striking out six.

UNOH will have a week off before they head to Rochester to take on the Warriors in a four-game series April 1-2.