Rio Grande Sports Information
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Angel Cruz and Waskar Martinez each had three hits and a run batted in, while Luke Lindamood drove in a pair of runs to lead the University of Rio Grande in a 7-2 game two triumph over Cleary (Mich.) University for a split of their non-conference baseball doubleheader, Monday afternoon, at Bob Evans Field.
The Cougars, who were swept in Sunday's twinbill between the two teams, avoided a series sweep by hanging on to win game one, 7-5.
Rio Grande finished the day at 3-11 with the split.
Cleary headed home at 2-4 for the season.
Rio trailed 1-0 in the nightcap before scoring four times in the fourth inning, once in the fifth and twice in the sixth.
Lindamood, a senior from Minford, Ohio had the big hit in the four-run fourth with a two-run double. junior Likeiry Jimenez (Reading, PA) and senior Austin Kendall (Troy, OH) also had RBI hits in the frame.
Martinez - a junior from Santiago, D.R. - singled home Cruz for the RedStorm's fifth inning run, while junior Beiker Fuentes (Crystal Lake, IL) had a sacrifice fly and Cruz had a run-scoring single in the sixth.
Cruz, a senior from Santo Domingo, D.R., finished with two doubles among his three hits, while Martinez had a double of his own.
Redshirt freshman Evan Lewis (Carrolton, OH) started and earned his first win of the season, allowing three hits and a run over four innings. He also walked two and struck out three.
Sophomore Hayden Simon (Stouffville, Ontario, Canada) notched his first save after allowing three hits and a run over the final three frames. The left-hander also fanned three.
Jacob Savina, the first of four hurlers for the Cougars, took the loss. He allowed six hits and four runs over 3-2/3 innings.
Sam Browne had a double, while Max Tomaszewski and Spencer Jamieson drove in runs in the loss.
Game one saw the visitors build a 7-0 lead with six runs in the second inning and another run in the fourth before hanging on late.
Rio Grande scored twice in the fifth inning and three times in the sixth to pull within 7-5, but saw its hopes for one last rally in the seventh and final inning - as happened in each game on Sunday - fall just short.
The RedStorm twice had the would-be tying run at the plate after Lindamood was hit by a pitch with one out, but Fuentes was retired on a flyball to deep left and fifth-year senior AJ Thomas (Pickerington, OH) struck out swinging to end the game.
Cleary got the win despite being outhit, 11-5. The Cougars were the beneficiaries of eight walks by Rio pitching.
Browne had a double in the winning effort, while Gavin Kempainen drove in two runs and the duo of Tomaszewski and Marcel Garcia had one RBI each.
Will Roberts started and got the win for Cleary, allowing seven hits and two runs over 4-2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out six.
Jack Westerhoff earned a save with 1-2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Junior Gabe Carter (Huntington, WV) started and lost for Rio after failing to survive the disastrous second inning. He allowed three hits and six runs - three earned - over 1-2/3 innings, while walking four and striking out three.
Cruz finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Fuentes, Jimenez and sophomore Josh Whent (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) also had two hits each.
Junior Braeden Gaul (Huntington, WV) drove in two runs in a losing cause and Thomas had a double.
Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday when it hosts Wilberforce University in a single nine-inning game beginning at 2 p.m.
