Medina leads Rams past RedStorm

Rio Grande Sports Information
     BLUEFIELD, Va. - Bluefield University first baseman Johnny Medina certainly wasn't cold, but he was without question funky toward University of Rio Grande pitching.
Medina clubbed three two-run home runs and drove in six runs to lead the host Rams to a 14-9 win over the RedStorm, Tuesday afternoon, in non-conference baseball action at historic Bowen Field.
     Bluefield improved to 14-19 with the victory.
     Rio Grande slipped to 18-21 with the loss.
     Medina, who entered the game with only two home runs for the season, hit his first homer of the day with two outs in the bottom of the first inning and staked the home team to a lead it would never relinquish.
     His second circuit-clout came in a two-run fifth inning and extended the Rams' lead to 8-3, while his final long ball of the day came as part of a three-run eighth inning - pushing the lead to 14-7 and, essentially, ending any hopes of a Rio comeback.
     The RedStorm, who were playing without the services of senior Clayton Surrell (Carroll, OH) - the team's leading hitter - and junior AJ Thomas (Pickerington, OH) - the team's leading home run threat and its second-best run producer - did make things interesting with a four-run sixth inning rally to cut the deficit to 8-7.
     Bluefield answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, though, to regain an 11-7 advantage and then pulled away for good with the three-run eighth.
Rio Grande did score twice in the ninth, but got no closer.
     Brady Joslyn had three hits, including a double, and drove in three runs for the Rams, while David Meech had two hits, including a double, with two RBI and five runs scored.
     Max Aristy had two hits, stole three bases and drove in a run in the winning effort, while Briley Harlan drove in two runs and Dylan Cutler had a double.
     Lucas Cash, the first of six BU hurlers on a pitcher-by-committee day for both teams, picked up the win. The right-hander allowed two hits, a walk and one run over four innings.
     Junior left-hander Trey Carter (Wheelersburg, OH) started and lost for Rio Grande, surrendering five hits, a walk and six runs over three innings.
     Senior John Arcaro (Trinity, FL) led the RedStorm offensively, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Junior Daniel Rutherford (Coal Grove, OH) was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
     Sophomores Seth Mills (South Shore, KY) and Braeden Gaul (Huntington, WV) added two hits each in a losing cause. Gaul also drove in a run.
     Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Friday, when it resumes River States Conference play with the opener of a weekend series at Ohio Christian University.
     First pitch is set for 2 p.m.