Racers Take Over WHAC Lead with Twinbill Sweep of Concordia

LIMA, OH - Game one was a steady flow for UNOH (15-10, 12-1), scoring in five of six innings to give Concordia (27-3, 12-2) their first conference loss of the season. The Cardinals led game two through six and a half innings, but the Racers scored in each of the last three to pull out a 6-3 win. The sweep combined with two Madonna losses the same day gives UNOH sole possession of first place in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC).

Game 1: UNOH 8 CUAA 1 (7 Innings)

 After the Cardinals went down in order to start the game, two consecutive two-out singles followed by a Darius Freeman double brought in the first run of the game. Concordia got one back with a sac bunt in the second but the tie was short-lived. Tyler Grigalis scored one with his first sac fly of the season and Eliomar Otero brought in another with a RBI single. Again the Cardinals when away in order and Alex Velasco put UNOH up 4-1 with an RBI single. Concordia snuck in a double in the top of the fourth but left the runner stranded. Tyler Grigalis hit his own double in the bottom but it was good enough to score Diego Clariot from first. The Racers retired the side for a third time to start the fifth and added on in the bottom. With two outs, a walk sandwiched between two singles gave UNOH their sixth run and Diego Clariot sent one to the fence in right that scored two more. The final inning and a half saw just one combined hit as the Racers took game one.

 Tyler Grigalis and Erick Castro each went 2-3 in the game. Grigalis finished with two RBI and Castro added one. Eliomar Otero was 2-4 with a RBI and Diego Clariot added two RBI after going 1-3.

Rolando Heredia-Bustos (4-0) tossed his second complete game of the season giving up just one run off only three hits while striking out a career high twelve batters with only two walks.

Game 2: UNOH 6 CUAA 3

 Each team plated a run to start game two but the next six batters were retired in order sending the game into the third at 1-1. Concordia took the lead with one in the third and added another in the fifth to lead 3-1 after five. UNOH chipped into the lead with a RBI single in the home sixth but couldn't get the tying run home. The Cardinals threatened in the seventh with and error and a double, but it would be their last hit of the game as the Racers locked in. Two two-out doubles from Tyler Grigalis and Nathan Alvarez did the job for UNOH bringing home three and giving them a 5-3 lead. The Racers used small ball to work Ben Jackson around to score in the eighth and Concordia was down to their final three outs. UNOH finished the job retiring the side to take the sweep.

Nathan Alvarez was the only Racer with multiple RBI despite going just 1-4 at the plate. Erick Castro extended his hitting streak to nine games with his third straight multi-hit game. Setth Freeman did his job in the DH position going a perfect 3-3 with an RBI. Tyler Grigalis finished off a four-hit day going 2-4 with one RBI.

 Walter Long got the start and went four innings giving up three runs, two earned off four hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Jack Olberding pitched two and two-thirds with just three hits and four strikeouts. Jeremy Yurcak (2-4) was the beneficiary of good timing after pitching just one out in the top of the seventh to pick up the win. Eliott Traver finished the final two frames to pick up the save with no hits, no runs, no walks and two strikeouts.

UNOH will head to Lake Trust Stadium Saturday, April 8, for a two-game showdown with Cleary. 1:00 PM first pitch.