Baseball opens season with 4-3 loss to Muhlenberg (Pa.) at Cusic Collegiate Classic

By: Monique Bowman

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Ohio Northern baseball team opened the 2012 season with a 4-3 loss to Muhlenberg (Pa.) in Day 1 of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Sunday afternoon at the Red Sox Development Center.

ONU starts the season 0-1 overall, while the Mules improve to 5-1.

Senior Chad Coward and junior Kevin Obarski went 2-for-3 at the plate, as Coward single twice and Obarski scored once during the contest. Senior Josh Murphy went 2-for-4 and scored once as well.

Junior Shane Parks suffered his first loss of the season, pitching the last two innings, allowing one hit and the winning run.

Junior Austin Price went seven innings, allowing six hits and three runs (one earned).

Northern took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back doubles by seniors Eric Yunker and Matt Hampshire.

The Polar Bears moved to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Murphy singled and stole second base. Two batters later, sophomore Brian Thomas singled to bring in Murphy.

Muhlenberg got on the board in the next inning, when Nick Kennedy was thrown out at first but not before scoring Jimmy Cody, who was waiting at third.

The Mules tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the fourth when Nick Plinio tripled, and was then brought in on a ground out by the next batter.

Senior Mark Hayes grounded out to bring in Obarski from third would give the Polar Bears the 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.

After three scoreless innings, the Mules would knock in two runs in the top of the eighth to take the 4-3 lead and Ohio Northern would be unable to respond.

"We started off well but some mental mistakes and leaving runners on base got us out of it," said head coach Gene Stechschulte. "We saw some good things but we'll have to work on others as the week progresses."

A 9 a.m. game against Widener (Pa.) and a noon game against Hiram await the Polar Bears in day 2 of the Cusic Classic.