Baseball rounds out spring break trip with 9-2 victory over Penn State-Berks

By: Monique Bowman

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Ohio Northern picked up a 9-2 win over Penn State-Berks Saturday morning in the final day of its trip at the Ripken Experience Division III week in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Polar Bears are 5-0 as they make the trek back to Ada, while the Lions fall to 1-2.

ONU put one on the scoreboard in the second when sophomore Cory Martin was walked, then advanced to third on a wild pitch and a balk. Then junior Eric Yunker singled to left field to score Martin.

Northern scored three more in the third inning, when sophomore Kevin Obarski doubled to bring in Josh Murphy and Matt Hampshire.

Obarski scored from third when Yunker tallied his second hit of the day and tripled to the right center wall.

Berks got on the board in the bottom of third when Rich Schlamowitz was walked with the bases loaded. Then Nick Vitelli flied out to center field to bring in Aaron Wilkins and make the score 4-2.

In the fifth, Martin and Eric Yunker each singled then stole bases to set up the scoring play. Senior Erik Stegman grounded out to second base but scored Martin from third in the process for the 5-2 advantage.

Leading off in the sixth, senior Adam Yunker doubled who then scored on a Hampshire single to left field. Then with runners on the corners and two outs, Martin singled again to bring in a run and extend the Polar Bears lead to 7-2.

Freshman Brian Thomas doubled to right center in the seventh inning, then Adam Yunker followed suit for the run and increase the lead to 8-2.

Northern would score one more in the eighth inning win on a Matt Hayes single that scored Matt Magni.

Sophomore Austin Price picked up his second win of the season, sitting down eight of the 24 batters he faced and allowed just four hits.

Eric Yunker went 3 for 4 with two RBIs, while Obarski went 2 for 4 with two RBIs as well. Hampshire went 3 for 5 scoring twice and batting in another.

"We made a lot of mistakes today and this week but that's why we come down here to work out those kinks," head coach Justin Bergman says. "We'll head home work on those things and get ready for next week."

Next up for the Polar Bears is a doubleheader against Elmhurst (Ill.) next Sunday, March 13 in Xenia at 11 a.m.