RedStorm outlasts Wilberforce

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - On paper, Tuesday afternoon's matchup with Wilberforce University shouldn't have been difficult for the University of Rio Grande.
     But, then again, nothing has been easy for the RedStorm during the early portion of the 2024 season.
     Rio Grande found itself facing a significant deficit before ever recording an out and, after eventually rallying to take a commanding lead, the RedStorm had to hang on for dear life at the end in a 12-9 triumph over the Bulldogs in non-conference baseball action at Bob Evans Field.
     Rio Grande, which won for the fourth time in its three-day, five-game homestand, improved to 4-11 with the win.
     Wilberforce, which revived its baseball program last season after it had been dormant for nearly 80 years, slipped to 1-7 as a result of the loss.
     The Bulldogs shocked the RedStorm by scoring five times in the first inning before an out was ever recorded.
     A pair of errors sandwiched around a base hit set the stage for a two-run single by Julien Patton and Parker Geshan followed with a three-run home run to make it 5-0.
     Rio Grande immediately went to work on erasing the deficit.
     The RedStorm scored four times in the bottom of the first, took the lead with three runs in the second and extended the cushion thanks in the third to a three-run home run by graduate senior AJ Thomas (Pickerington, OH) that made it 10-5.
     Rio continued to roll along with two more runs in the seventh, but Wilberforce roared to life by scoring four times in the eighth inning.
     The Bulldogs had two runners in scoring position and the would-be tying run at the plate when the inning finally came to an end.
     Wilberforce put its leadoff batter on base in the ninth when Joe Mendy was hit by a pitch, but Rio sophomore reliever Daewin Spence (Portsmouth, OH) - the last of five pitchers for the home team - rebounded to strike out each of the next three batters to nail down the win.
     Thomas and junior Likeiry Jimenez (Reading, PA) both had two hits and three RBI for the RedStorm, while senior Luke Lindamood (Minford, OH) homered, Braeden Gaul drove in a pair of runs and junior Beiker Fuentes (Crystal Lake, IL) walked in each of his five at bats and scored four times.
     Freshman Mitchell Crowley (Norwood, Ontario, Canada) started and got the win for Rio, allowing five hits and five runs - three earned - over six innings.
     Olando Olvera started and took the loss for Wilberforce, allowing three hits, five walks and seven runs - five earned - in just one-plus inning.
     Geshan finished with two hits for the Bulldogs, while Beau Spears had a triple.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Friday when it entertains Indiana University South Bend and Indiana University Purdue University Columbus in a three-way weekend series at Shawnee Sports Park in Dunbar, W.Va.
     The RedStorm will face IUSB at 11 a.m. and will play IUPUC at 5 p.m. The two Indiana schools will square off in between at 2 p.m.