April 24, 2010

RedStorm split with St. Catharine

St. Catharine, KY --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm baseball team split a doubleheader with St. Catharine College on Friday, losing the first game in a one-run affair, 4-3 and rebounding with a 13-2 win in the second game that lasted five innings.

Rio Grande (40-9, 20-6 MSC) could not hold an early 2-0 lead in game one as St. Catharine (33-20, 15-11 MSC) plated four runs in the third inning and made them stand up. 

The RedStorm would cut the deficit to one run at 4-3 in the fourth inning on a pinch-hit double from senior Chris Mahon, but would not be able get any closer than that. 

Senior righthander Tyler Schunk (Cincinnati, OH) took the loss. Schunk (7-2) pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and four runs (three earned) with six strikeouts and three walks.

Senior rightfielder John Storey (Wheelersburg, OH) was 2-for-2 with a walk to lead the Rio Grande offense. Junior shortstop Brad Konrad (Maumee, OH) was 2-for-3 in the game and scored a run while senior catcher Tyler Plumpton (Peterborough, ONT) went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Junior first baseman Francisco Ramirez (Columbus, OH) was 1-for-4 with an RBI and junior leftfielder Michael Lynch (Cleveland, OH) added an RBI with a sacrifice fly in the opening inning. 

Timmy Paxton (5-1) shook off a rough start to get the win. He pitched 4 1/3 innings, scattering eight hits and allowing three runs while striking out three and walking one. 

Rio bounced back in a must-win situation in game two, cruising to a 13-2 victory in five innings. 

The RedStorm scored five runs in the second inning to take control of the game. Schunk led off the frame with his 10^th home run of the season. He had two hits in the game and two RBI's, increasing his season total to 60, a new single-season school record. Mahon added an RBI single and later scored on a hit by Plumpton.

Rio added a run in the fourth and finished off the game with a seven-run fifth inning. Schunk tripled home a run, Plumpton ripped a two-run double and Konrad smacked a two-run home run to highlight the inning. 

Plumpton was 2-for-4 with four RBI's and Konrad was 2-for-4 with three RBI's to pace the RedStorm offense. Lynch was 1-for-3 with a run batted in while junior outfielder Brandon Lay (Columbus, OH), senior centerfielder Ryan Yakura (Pickering, ONT) and junior second sacker Christian Frias (Salinas, PR) all collected one hit each.

Freshman Ryan Robertson (Waverly, OH) tied the single season mark for victories as he pitched all five innings to improve to 10-1 on the season. Robertson allowed five hits and two runs in five innings. He fanned seven and issued one walk. 

Joel Brockman (5-5) started and lost for St.Catharine. He was chased from the mound after three innings, in which Rio roughed him up for six runs and eight hits. 

Saturday's games were rained out. The two teams will attempt to complete the four-game set on Sunday, weather permitting.