March 7, 2010

RedStorm sweep double dip from OSU-Mansfield

Rio Grande --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm baseball team made it a perfect weekend with a doubleheader sweep of Ohio State-Mansfield on Sunday at Bob Evans Field. Rio took the first game, 4-1 and won game two in six innings by a 10-0 score.

Rio Grande (11-2) out-played the Mavericks in one inning in the opening game and it was good enough to get the win. The RedStorm trailed 1-0 and had only two hits going into the sixth inning and then erupted for four runs on five hits to rally and win the game.

Junior first baseman Francisco Ramirez (Columbus, OH) started the rally with a lead-off double. Senior designated hitter Chris Mahon (Hamilton, OH) followed with a single and senior third baseman Tyler Schunk (Cincinnati, OH) laced a two-run double to put Rio Grande in front, 2-1. Sophomore Derek Green (Bean Station, TN) had a pinch-hit, run-scoring single and junior leftfielder Michael Lynch (Lyndhurst, OH) plated a run with an RBI ground out in the frame.

Junior Angel Santiago (Santa Isabel, PR) improved to 2-0 on the season with six innings of six-hit, one-run baseball. He fanned six batters and his only run was an earned run, a solo home run in the fourth. After the home run, the Mavericks (0-2) loaded the bases with nobody out and Santiago pitched himself out of trouble to keep the deficit at 1-0. 

Schunk struck out the side in the seventh to notch his first save of the season.

Schunk led the offense, going 2-for-2 with two RBI's and a double while Lynch went 1-for-3 with an RBI. 

In game two, sophomore Ryan Chapman (Racine, OH) was masterful as he orchestrated a one-hit shutout. Chapman (2-1) struck out nine batters in six innings of pitching. 

Lynch and Schunk again had big games at the plate, going 2-for-2 and 2-for-4 respectively. Schunk added an RBI to his line. Senior rightfielder John Storey (Wheelersburg, OH) stroked two hits and knocked in a pair of runs while junior shortstop Brad Konrad (Maumee, OH) went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Senior catcher Tyler Plumpton (Peterborough, ONT) was 1-for-1 with an RBI and three walks while junior second baseman Christian Frias (Salinas, PR) went 1-for-3 and knocked in a run.

Senior centerfielder Ryan Yakura (Pickering, ONT) was 0-for-1 but had an RBI and both Ramirez and senior Ryan Cramer (Olympia, WA) added hits to the Rio attack. 

"Our pitchers threw extremely well again today. Angel Santiago threw the opener and basically, I told the guys that baseball's a game where you can get outplayed five innings and all you have to do is win one inning to win the game," said Rio Grande head coach Brad Warnimont. "Angel gave up a solo home run and pitched out of a bases loaded, no-out jam in the fourth and really made some key pitches and pitched very well."

"Tyler Schunk came on and got the save and struck out the side in the seventh," Warnimont added. "Ryan Chapman threw a six-inning shutout in the second game, had nine strikeouts and threw extremely well."

Warnimont again wanted to thank his game sponsors, Giovanni's Pizza of Rio Grande and K & L Catering of Bidwell. 

Rio Grande will travel to Lindsey Wilson next weekend (March 12-13) to open up Mid-South Conference play. The four game series begins with a doubleheader on Friday. Game one is slated to start at 1 p.m. Stretch Internet will have play-by-play coverage beginning at 12:55 p.m.