Baseball splits double header with Western New England, winning 7-6 and falling 11-5

DAVENPORT, Fla. — The Ohio Northern baseball team split its second double header of the weekend with Western New England (Mass.), winning game one 7-6 on a walkoff, but dropping game two 11-5 on Sunday.

The Basics

• Records: Ohio Northern (6-1 Overall), Western New England (Mass.) (1-2 Overall).
• Venue: NERP #1 - Davenport, Fla.

Game One - W, 7-6 (9 Innings)

• Ohio Northern came out hot with senior Chase Armstrong (Boonville, Ind) hitting an RBI double to make it 1-0 in the top of the first. Junior Evan Russ (Westfield, Ind.) knocked a 2 RBI single right after and later scored on a ball by freshman Tyler Rinehart (Boonville, Ind.) to wrap up the 4-run inning.
• Kyle Callahan (Brunswick) launched a solo homer in the top of the 4th to make it 5-0 for the Polar Bears.
• The Golden Bears didn't go away quietly as they plated 2 runs in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings to go up 6-5.
• Down to its final two outs, Armstrong ripped his second RBI double of the game to even the score at 6-6.
• After a scoreless 8th inning, freshman Carson Stevens (Wyoming) sent a solo shot over the right field fence to retake the Ohio Northern lead at 7-6.
• Sophomore Konnor Brogan (Salem/South Range) got the win for Northern as he pitched the final 3.0 innings without allowing a single run and struck out 5 hitters.

Game Two - L, 5-11

• The Polar Bear offense was first to strike in the bottom of the first of game two thanks to an RBI single from junior Kyler Lapp (Hall, Ill.).
• Western New England managed to answer with a run of their own in the top of the second. 
• With the bases loaded in the bottom of the third Armstrong recorded another RBI after a fielder's choice to put ONU up 2-1.
• Once again the Golden Bears answered the call to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the 4th. 
• In the top of the 5th, Western New England jumped on top thanks to a 2-run home run. They added 2 other runs in the inning to make it 6-2. 
• Lapp chipped away at the defecit with a 2-out, solo home run to left field.
• WNE added five more runs to their lead to make it 11-3.
• Ohio Northern managed to get 2 runs back in the bottom half of the 7th thanks to an RBI triple by Stevens and Lapp later knockig Stevens in. 

Notables

• Lapp and Armstrong led the way at the plate, Lapp going 3-for-6 with 3 RBIs including a solo homer and Armstrong going 2-for-7 at the plate with two doubles to go with 3 RBIs.
• Ohio Northern and Western New England are now tied 1-1 with these two matchups marking the first two meetings between the programs. 
• ONU's 6-0 start marks a best start to a season since 1988 when the team started 7-0.
• Senior Chase Armstrong (Boonville, Ind) is 5th all-time in ONU history in home runs (24) and doubles (38), 6th in RBIs (113), and is 8th in walks (80). 
• Armstrong (127), and Stechschulte (124), Reed (123) and Lapp (106) are all members of ONU's a00-Hit Club. 
• Ohio Northern is in its 121st season of baseball. The Polar Bears are 1498-1164-20 all-time, a winning percentage of .558.
• 15th-year head coach Gene Stechschulte is now 311-217 at Ohio Northern for a winning percentage of .585.

Up Next

• The Polar Bears will continue play in the RussMatt invitational with a Monday afternoon matchup against Suffolk (Mass.) at 2 pm.