February 20, 2010

RedStorm blank Emmanuel; Warnimont wins 500th

Chattanooga, TN --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm baseball team shutout Emmanuel College 7-0 on Saturday morning at a tournament held at Tennessee Temple University. The win was the 500^th in the career of Rio Grande head coach Brad Warnimont.

Rio Grande junior hurler Desmond Sullivan (Scarborough, ONT) fired a complete game one-hitter in picking up his first win of the season. Sullivan (1-0) carried a perfect game into the fourth inning when he allowed a lead-off single, the only hit of the game for Emmanuel (1-8). Sullivan struck out six and walked only one batter.

Junior Brad Konrad (Maumee, OH) led the way offensively for the RedStorm going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI's. Senior catcher Tyler Plumpton (Peterborough, ONT) added two hits to the Rio attack. 

Other offensive notables for the RedStorm (5-1) included junior Michael Lynch (Lyndhurst, OH), who was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Junior first baseman Francisco Ramirez (Columbus, OH) also went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double and two teammates knocked in. 

Junior second baseman Christian Frias (Salinas, PR) was 1-for-3 as well with a double and two RBI's and senior centerfielder Ryan Yakura (Pickering, ONT) went 1-for-2.

Coach Warnimont gave credit to the players for reaching his milestone. "It's about the players, they play the game," he said. "I'm happy to get the win, but it's really about the kids."

"We're just here to try to give them some guidance and direction," Warnimont added. "The credit should go to them."

Rio Grande will face off with Bryan College in the championship game of the tournament tonight at 7 p.m. Rio and Bryan faced each other last weekend in a three-game series with Rio taking two of the three games. 

Stretch Internet will have play-by-play coverage of the game beginning at approximately 6:55 p.m.