Rio Grande Sports Information
BUTLER, Pa. - What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
Just hours after seeing host Point Park University mount a ninth inning rally to post a series-opening win, the University of Rio Grande scored five time in the top of the ninth inning for a 10-7 win in game one of Sunday afternoon's River States Conference baseball doubleheader at Pullman Park.
The Pioneers rebounded in game two, posting a 5-0 victory.
Rio Grande finished the day at 11-21 overall and 4-8 in the RSC.
Point Park moved to 17-8 overall and 10-2 in league play.
The Pioneers saw their 10-game winning streak snapped in Sunday's opener as Rio Grande scored seven times over its final two at bats.
The RedStorm scored twice in the top of the eighth inning to erase a 4-3 deficit, but Point Park countered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to regain a 7-5 advantage.
The new-found lead didn't last long.
Freshman Samuel Colina (Maracaibo, Venezuela) greeted PPU reliever Jonathan Rivera with a leadoff double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single to right by senior Darius Jordan (Minford, OH) to make it 7-6.
Freshman pinch-hitter Tylor Tipple (Lancaster, OH) bunted Jordan into scoring position and senior Luke Lindamood (Minford, OH) followed with a single to left to knot the score at 7-all. Lindamood ended up at second on the same play thanks to an error.
Sophomore Andy Amstutz (Kettering, OH), who was running for Lindamood, advanced to third on a wild pitch as freshman teammate Omar Chirinos (Santa Rita City, Venezuela) drew a walk and Chirinos promptly stole second two pitches later.
Junior Likeiry Jimenez (Reading, PA) followed with a two-run single to left to put Rio in front and, thanks to another Pioneer error, moved to second on the same play.
One out later, sophomore Josh Whent (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) singled to left to make it 10-7.
Sophomore Hayden Simon (Stouffville, Ontario, Canada) routinely retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to nail down the win.
Chirinos and Colina had two hits each to pace the RedStorm, while Jimenez and Whent had two RBI each. Both of Colina's hits were doubles and Chirinos also had a double.
Simon picked up the win, allowing one hit and striking out two of 1-2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Rivera, who got the win for the Pioneers on Saturday, took the loss after allowing five hits and five runs in his lone inning.
Omar Morillo had two hits and two RBI to lead Point Park, while Isaac Santana, Chris Williams, Jordon Campbell also had two hits each and Carlos Martinez doubled and knocked in a pair of runs.
In game two, Point Park's John Hawley and Ethan Parker combined on a five-hit shutout. Hawley allowed four hits and struck out three over five innings to get the win.
Junior Gabe Carter (Huntington, WV) started and took the loss for Rio Grande, allowing eight hits and four runs over 4-2/3 innings. He walked two and fanned six.
Whent had two of the RedStorm's five hits.
Rio Grande returns to action on Monday afternoon with a non-conference game against Wilberforce University.
First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Athletes In Action Sports Complex in Xenia, Ohio.
