Cruz leads RedStorm in bashing of Bulldogs

Rio Grande Sports Information
     XENIA, Ohio - Angel Cruz homered, doubled twice and drove in six runs to lead the University of Rio Grande in a 16-6 mercy rule-shortened win over Wilberforce University, Tuesday afternoon, in non-conference baseball action at the Athletes In Action Sports Complex.
     The RedStorm improved to 18-25 with the win - their third in as many meetings with the Bulldogs this season.
     Wilberforce dropped to 7-23 with the loss.
     Rio Grande did the bulk of its offensive damage in two innings, scoring six times in the second inning and seven times in the seventh to help invoke the 10-run mercy rule.
     Cruz, a senior from Santo Domingo, D.R., was right in the thick of both big innings, delivering a three-run home run in the six-run second and a two-run double in the seven-run seventh. He also contributed a run-scoring double in the fourth.
     Rio Grande took a 9-4 advantage into the seventh inning before its victory-clinching uprising.
     Senior Luke Lindamood (Minford, OH) added two hits, including a home run, and two RBI, while junior Alex Scoular (Whitby, Ontario, Canada) knocked in three runs and sophomore Josh Whent (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) drove in a pair of runs.
     Freshman Mitchell Crowley (Norwood, Ontario, Canada), the first of a pre-planned deluge of RedStorm pitchers, picked up his third win in as many decisions. The right-hander allowed three hits and a run, while striking out one, over three innings.
     Olando Olvera started and lost for Wilberforce, allowing two hits, four walks and six runs in just 1-2/3 innings.
     Olvera and three other Bulldog hurlers combined to allow nine hits, while also walking 11 batters, hitting another and throwing a pair of wild pitches.
     Beau Spears went 2-for-3 with a double and a run batted in for Wilberforce, while Joe Mendy also had two hits and an RBI.
     Marques Smith was 2-for-4 with a double for the Bulldogs and Keith Smith drove in a pair of runs in a losing cause.
     Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Friday when it hosts Shawnee State in the first game of River States Conference weekend series at Bob Evans Field.
     First pitch is set for 2 p.m.