Rio Grande News
Ryan Yakura clubbed a big home three-run home run to help bring Rio a 9-4 victory
Ryan Yakura clubbed a big home three-run home run to help bring Rio a 9-4 victory
Wed, Apr 14, 2010 - [Baseball]
April 14, 2010

RedStorm down Otterbein

Westerville, OH --- In order to avoid a long layoff before heading into the showdown series with Campbellsville this weekend that will likely decide the Mid-South Conference regular season, Rio Grande head baseball coach Brad Warnimont wanted to keep his team fresh, so he added a game with Otterbein College on Wednesday. Rio Grande won the game 9-4 at Fishbaugh Stadium to improve to 2-0 this season against the Cardinals.

 

Rio Grande (37-6), ranked No. 25 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, had to battle back from an early deficit to get this victory. Otterbein (13-7) jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Cardinal leadoff batter John Quimby led off the game with a home run off Rio starter Jesse Brown (Mt. Pleasant, NC). Quimby would have three hits and three RBI's in the game.

 

The Cardinals plated two unearned runs in the second and Brandon Gessner added a solo shot in the third.

 

Fortunes began to change drastically in the fourth inning for the RedStorm. Senior centerfielder Ryan Yakura (Pickering, ONT) ignited the Rio offense with a three-run home run, which cut the deficit to 4-3. Yakura was 2-for-4 with a double and the aforementioned three-run homer. 

 

Rio took the lead for good in the sixth inning as five runs crossed the plate. The RedStorm added an additional insurance run in the ninth to close out the scoring.

 

Rio ended the game with 13 hits. Junior first baseman Francisco Ramirez (Columbus, OH) went 2-for-4 with two RBI's. Senior designated hitter Chris Mahon (Hamilton, OH) was 2-for-4 with a triple. Junior rightfielder Brandon Lay (Columbus, OH) went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI's and junior second baseman Christian Frias (Salinas, PR) was 2-for-4 with a double. Junior leftfielder Michael Lynch (Cleveland, OH) went 2-for-5. 

 

Sophomore Ryan Chapman (Racine, OH) pitched four innings of one-hit, shutout baseball in relief to pick up his fifth win of the season. 

 

Rio Grande, despite committing three errors in the field, turned two key double plays to snuff out potential rallies for Otterbein. 

 

Otterbein's John Masin (0-1) was hit with the loss. 

 

Rio and Campbellsville will face-off on Friday at Bob Evans Field in the first two games of a four-game set. Game one will begin at 1 p.m. Stretch Internet will have play-by-play coverage beginning at approximately 12:55 p.m.