Rio Grande News
Tyler Schunk hit 2 HR's and drove in five in Rio's 8-4 1st game win over Bryan College
Tyler Schunk hit 2 HR's and drove in five in Rio's 8-4 1st game win over Bryan College
Sun, Feb 14, 2010 - [Baseball]
February 14, 2010

RedStorm splits doubleheader with Bryan

Dayton, TN --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm baseball team split a doubleheader on Saturday at Bryan College but still managed to take the opening series of the 2010 season, two games to one. Rio won the first game on Saturday 8-5 and dropped the second game, 10-8. 

 

Rio Grande (2-1) scored four runs in the fifth inning to break open a 3-3 tie. Three of the runs came on a three-run home run off the bat of senior third baseman Tyler Schunk (Cincinnati, OH). Schunk hit two home runs in the game and drove in five. 

 

Senior left fielder Chris Mahon (Hamilton, OH) had a big day at the plate as well, going 3-for-3 with a double and a run knocked in. Junior Michael Lynch (Lyndhurst, OH) went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. 

 

Senior catcher Tyler Plumpton (Peterborough, ONT) added two hits and junior shortstop Brad Konrad (Maumee, OH) had one hit in the game for the RedStorm. 

 

Junior righthander Desmond Sullivan (Scarborough, ONT) started the game and lasted 3 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (one earned). Freshman Ryan Robertson (Waverly, OH) picked up his first collegiate win in his first appearance in college. Robertson (1-0) fired 3 1/3 innings of relief, yielding only two hits and one run, a solo home run in the seventh inning. The southpaw entered the game with the score tied in the fourth inning and snuffed out the Bryan College (4-3) rally.

 

Game two was a wild affair with both teams producing plenty of offense. Bryan scored first with three runs in the third inning. Rio rallied with two runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to 3-2. Bryan added four runs in the fourth to push its lead to 7-2.

 

The RedStorm would not go away quietly as they responded with six runs in the fifth frame to take an 8-7 lead. All six runs were scored with two outs. 

 

Bryan rallied to salvage one game in the series by scoring three runs in the sixth inning on a three-run home run. 

 

Sophomore Ryan Chapman (Racine, OH) took the loss in relief for Rio Grande. Chapman (1-1) pitched 2 1/3 innings and gave up the game-deciding three-run home run.

 

Junior lefty Jesse Brown (Mt. Pleasant, NC) started the game for the RedStorm and struggled with his control. He allowed four earned runs in three innings on the hill. 

 

Konrad led the RedStorm offense with a 4-for-4 game at the plate. Among the four safeties, Konrad had a triple and drove in a run. Plumpton went 2-for-4 and senior center fielder Ryan Yakura (Pickering, ONT) went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI's.

"We hit, I was very pleased with our offense. I had us left for dead in the second game and we battled back," said Rio Grande head coach Brad Warnimont. "We just had too many walks (eight for the game) and gave up two three-run home runs."

 

Both teams tallied 10 hits in the second game.

 

Rio's game versus NAIA pre-season No. 5 Lee University, scheduled for Monday (February 15) has been postponed and is re-scheduled for Sunday (February 21) with a time to be determined.