Baseball records 13 hits, defeats Olivet (Mich.) 13-2 at Wander Field
By Caleb Scott
ADA — The Ohio Northern baseball team recorded 13 hits on Tuesday afternoon on its way to defeating Olivet (Mich.) 13-2 at Wander Field.
The Polar Bears improve to 27-11 overall, while the Comets fall to 10-25.
Offensively, junior Luke Klinehoffer (Zanesville/John Glenn) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI, while senior Brandon Kasberg (Mentor) was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBI and three runs scored.
The Northern offense also added 12 RBI on the day.
Freshman Will Davis (Upper Arlington/Bishop Watterson) opened the contest with an RBI double to left center field to plate sophomore Phil Buckingham (Wayne/Elmwood), before a ground out from senior Jason Burkett (Maumee) and a single from junior Caleb Thomas (Strongsville) scored two more to give Northern an early 1-0 lead.
The Polar Bears continued to add runs in the bottom of the second inning as Buckingham scored two runs with a triple to right center to put ONU ahead 5-0.
Northern continued to score in the bottom of the second inning after Buckingham scored on a wild pitch and pushed the lead to 6-0.
After the Comets tallied their first run of the contest in the top of the third inning, Northern answered with an RBI single from senior Hayden Shenefield (Powell/Worthington Kilbourne) in the bottom of the fourth to mantain a six run lead at 7-1.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, senior T.J. Storer (Loveland/Moeller) hit a single to center field to plate a run, before a double down the right field line from Kasberg plated two runs and a double on the ensuing at bat from Klinehoffer added two more runs to give ONU a 12-1 lead.
A ground out from Shenefield allowed ONU to add one more run to carry a 13-1 lead heading into the sixth inning.
Olivet was able to add one run, but it wouldn't be enough as ONU went on to win the contest 13-2.
Junior Austin Frey (Peoria, Az./Sunrise Mountain) earned the victory on the mound, improving to 7-1 on the year.
Northern will return to action in its regular season finale on Saturday afternoon as it celebrates Senior Day and welcomes Wilmington to Wander Field for a crucial Ohio Athletic Conference matchup at 1 p.m.
