April 30, 2010

RedStorm take first game in MSC Tournament

Rio Grande --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm baseball team grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best two out of three Mid-South Conference Tournament Opening Round Series by throttling West Virginia Tech by a 16-3 score on Friday afternoon at Bob Evans Field. The game was shortened to seven innings due to the mercy rule.

Rio Grande (43-10) put the game away early on the strength of an eight-run second inning. Junior second baseman Christian Frias (Salinas, PR) and junior first baseman Francisco Ramirez (Columbus, OH) both delivered two-run singles in the frame. Rio added a run in the third inning on a solo home run from senior rightfielder John Storey (Wheelersburg, OH). 

The RedStorm scored three runs in the fourth inning, two coming on a two-run blast off the bat of junior leftfielder Michael Lynch (Cleveland, OH). They plated four runs in the sixth with Ramirez coming through with a two-run double.

Lynch had a huge day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI's. Ramirez was 2-for-5 with four RBI's and Storey was 2-for-5 in the game with a home run and a double and two RBI's. Senior centerfielder Ryan Yakura (Pickering, ONT) was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, two RBI's and a stolen base. 

Senior catcher Tyler Plumpton (Peterborough, ONT) was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a walk. Frias was 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI's and junior shortstop Brad Konrad (Maumee, OH) was 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. 

Rio banged out 16 hits in the game.

WVU Tech (15-36) recorded seven hits, including back-to-back home runs from Alex Van Horn and Eric Helton in the top of the fourth inning that cut Rio's lead to 9-3 at the time. Van Horn was 2-for-3 to lead the Golden Bear attack.

Senior Tyler Schunk (Cincinnati, OH) pitched six innings to collect his ninth win of the season. Schunk (9-2) scattered seven hits and allowed three runs (two earned) while striking out six. Offensively, Schunk was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks.

Freshman Eric Ford (Chagrin Falls, OH) pitched a scoreless seventh to close out the game. He walked one and struck out one.

Jeff Krauklis (2-5) took the loss after getting chased from the mound after two innings. Rio scored off three of the four pitchers the Golden Bears used in the game. Brett Kemerer pitched two scoreless frames for WVU Tech. 

Rio Grande head coach Brad Warnimont was pleased with his team's performance. "We did some things extremely well," he said. "Number one was hitting the ball, I made the comment we didn't hit like a .360 club (after the season finale); well today we did."

"We took the ball opposite field with some authority, two opposite field home runs into the wind, so that was pretty impressive," Warnimont said. "We hit the ball the way we should have, ran the bases well, we made some defensive plays in a timely manner and Tyler Schunk gets his ninth win of the year."

"He pitched extremely well, we played extremely well and now we've got to get Game Two tomorrow."

Rio will go for the series sweep on Saturday. Game Two of the series will begin at 10 a.m. Stretch Internet will have play-by-play coverage beginning at 9:55 a.m. Game Three, if necessary, will begin approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Game Two.