RedStorm completes sweep of IU Columbus

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande got back to the .500 mark for the season and completed a sweep of its inaugural River States Conference series of the season, rolling to a 9-2 triumph over Indiana University Columbus, Saturday afternoon, at a frosty Bob Evans Field.
     The RedStorm improved to 7-7 overall and 3-0 in the RSC with a fifth consecutive victory.
     IU Columbus dropped to 2-10 overall and 0-3 in league play with the loss.
     Rio Grande raced to an 8-0 lead after five innings, following up single markers in the first and fourth innings with three-run frames in the second and fifth frames.
     Two of the three second inning runs scored on wild pitches, senior Beiker Fuentes (Crystal Lake, IL) had sacrifice flies in both the second and fourth innings and junior Darwin Oleaga (Boston, MA) highlighted the three-run fifth with an opposite field two-run home run.
     Freshman Connor Gullett (Cincinnati, OH) was the beneficiary of the offensive uprising and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
     He left after 5-2/3 innings, allowing a hit and a run with five walks and six strikeouts.
     Freshman Eli Allen (Urbana, OH) earned a save by working the final 3-1/3 innings in relief. He allowed four hits and a run with one walk and six strikeouts.
     Senior Likeiry Jiminez (Reading, PA) had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run, while freshman Gregory Catano (Miami, FL) also had two hits and a run batted in.
     Aiden Hapner had a pair of hits and Carson McNulty drove in a run for IU Columbus.
     Aiden Thompson started and took the loss for the Crimson Pride, allowing two hits, three walks and four runs - three earned - over 1-2/3 innings.
     Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday when it hits the road for a non-conference doubleheader against Wilberforce University.
     First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m. at the Athletes in Action Sports Complex in Xenia, Ohio.