Baseball pounds out 26 hits, but falls twice to OAC foe Mount Union

By: Jay Garneau

ALLIANCE – The Ohio Northern baseball team failed to take advantage of a strong offensive output, dropping a pair of Ohio Athletic Conference games by scores of 19-9 and 14-4 to Mount Union at 23^rd Street Field on Saturday afternoon.

Mount Union improves to 21-8 overall and 7-3 in the league, while the Polar Bears fall to 8-18 and 2-7 in the OAC.

All nine starters had at least one hit in the first game, with five players recording a multi-hit game and seniors Eric Yunker and Mark Hayes each with a three-hit performance.

Ohio Northern totaled 26 hits over the doubleheader, but Mount Union was able to take advantage of ONU mistakes and finished the twin-bill with 18 hits in each game.

The Polar Bears got off to a hot start in the opener, as a two-out rally in the first sparked by singles from Yunker and senior Matt Hampshire set up a two-run double by junior Cory Martin, giving ONU a 2-0 lead.

Mount Union scored a run in the second before two ONU errors and three walks helped the Purple Raiders to a six-run third inning, five of them unearned, as ONU fell behind 7-2.

Six straight ONU batters reached base in the fourth in another six-run inning, highlighted by a two-run triple from Yunker as ONU retook an 8-7 advantage.

The Purple Raiders didn't cool down, though, as the home squad plated 12 more runs over the next three innings to put the game out of reach.

Zach Carlino finished a perfect 4-for-4 with a walk, four runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Purple Raiders offensively.

Martin finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs for ONU.

Sophomore Chris Leiby (0-2) took the loss for ONU, while Mike Horning (3-1) earned the win with 3.0 innings in relief for Mount Union.

The nightcap didn't start out any better for Ohio Northern, with Mount Union's offense surging for four runs in the first, six runs in the third and a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take command of the game with a 14-0 lead.

ONU scored the last four runs of the game behind a pair of Derek Lenardos RBIs and a solo home run from sophomore Matt Magni, but it was too little, too late for the Polar Bears.

Six Purple Raiders had a multi-hit game, led by Connor Mathis (2-for-2, RBI, three runs), who reached base in all four of his at bats.

Cody Fisher (0-4) took the loss for ONU, while Tom Bekelsky (2-0) earned the win, allowing two runs (none earned) on six hits and no walks over 5.2 innings, striking out six batters.

Junior Jerry Beard and sophomore Tyler Deitering tossed scoreless innings in relief for the Polar Bears.

ONU will look to rebound on Tuesday afternoon, when Wilmington comes to Ada for an OAC doubleheader at 1 p.m.