Rio opens home portion of schedule with split

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - AJ Thomas hit a game-tying grand slam home run and Clayton Surrell clubbed a two-run home run as part of a six-run fourth inning rally, lifting the University of Rio Grande to an 11-5 come-from-behind win in game one of its Sunday afternoon non-conference doubleheader against Cleary (Mich.) University at Bob Evans Field.
     The RedStorm came up short in their attempt to sweep the twinbill, dropping a 5-3 decision in the nightcap.
     The split left head coach Brad Warnimont's club at 4-8, while the Cougars finished the day at 5-3.
     Cleary jumped to a 5-1 third inning lead in the opener, but Thomas - a junior from Pickerington, Ohio and the reigning River States Conference Player of the Week - connected for a game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the frame. It was seventh home run of the young season.
     Rio moved in front to stay in the fourth when senior John Arcaro (Trinity, FL) had a tie-breaking sacrifice fly and Surrell - a senior from Carroll, Ohio - followed with a two-run homer to center field to make it 8-5.
     Graduate senior Andrew Daria (Villa Hills, KY) added an RBI double later in the inning and junior Trey Carter (Wheelersburg, OH) contributed a two-run single to complete the scoring.
     Sophomore Reid Shultz (Minford, OH) picked up his second win in as many decisions for Rio, allowing just two hits in 4-1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
     Surrell finished 3-for-4 after also doubling twice, while Daria and Carter both finished with two hits each.
     Billy Flohr hit a solo home run and Andrew Piloske added a two-run blast in a losing cause for the Cougars.
     Austin Prahl took the loss for Cleary, allowing five hits, a walk and six runs - two earned - over 2/3 of an inning in his season debut.
     Rio Grande pitching gifted game two away to the Cougars.
     While four RedStorm hurlers teamed to allow just four hits and strike out 11, they also issued a staggering 14 walks and three wild pitches.
     The RedStorm grabbed a 1-0 first inning lead thanks to an RBI hit by junior Daniel Rutherford (Coal Grove, OH), but Cleary countered with a four-run second inning without the benefit of a hit.
     Two of the Cougars' runs scored on bases-loaded walks, another on a bases-loaded wild pitch and the final on a throwing error after a fielder's choice grounder back to the mound.
     Rio closed the gap to 4-3 after run-scoring singles by Daria and junior Darius Jordan (Minford, OH) in the bottom of the third and that's how things stayed until Cleary added an insurance run in the seventh on yet another bases-loaded walk.
     The insurance marker came after the RedStorm had loaded the bases with two outs in the home sixth, but failed to score.
     Nate Raniszewski started and got the win for Cleary, allowing eight hits, three walks and three runs over 5-1/3 innings. Noah Bowles earned a save with 1-2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
     Freshman Daewin Spence (Portsmouth, OH), who started for Rio, suffered the loss. The right-hander did not allow a hit and struck out three, but walked seven in just 1-1/3 innings of work.
     Rutherford and junior Jakob Johnson (Pickerington, OH) had two hits each in a losing cause for the RedStorm.
     The two teams will wrap up their weekend series with another doubleheader of seven-inning contests on Monday.
     First pitch is set for noon.