Rio Grande Sports Information
XENIA, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande used a pair of big innings for a game one rout and then rallied late in game two to erase a four-run deficit and record a doubleheader sweep of Wilberforce University, Tuesday afternoon, in non-conference baseball action at Browne Field on the Athletes in Action campus.
The RedStorm recorded wins of 14-4 and 7-5 to run their winning streak to seven straight and their overall record to 9-7.
The Bulldogs dropped to 1-10 as a result of the sweep.
In game one, Rio Grande spotted its host a 1-0 first inning lead before countering with five runs in the second inning.
Wilberforce countered with three runs in the home third to slice the deficit to 5-4, but the RedStorm regained a stronghold on things by scoring seven more times in the fourth inning.
Freshman Gregory Catano (Miami, FL) went 3-for-3 with a double and a run batted in, while senior Beiker Fuentes (Crystal Lake, IL) was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI.
Junior Josiah Devapalan (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) had two hits and an RBI in the winning effort, while senior Waskar Martinez (Santiago, D.R.) doubled and drove in three runs.
Redshirt junior Evan Lewis (Carrolton, OH), the second of six Rio pitchers, got the win despite allowing three hits and three runs over 1-2/3 innings.
Daunte Ward started and lost for Wilberforce, allowing five hits, five walks and 10 runs - seven earned - over 3-2/3 innings.
Julien Patton doubled and drove in three runs for the Bulldogs, while Thomas Hampton added a double of his own in the loss.
The nightcap saw Wilberforce parlay single runs in the first and fourth frames around a three-run second inning for a 5-1 advantage.
The RedStorm tied the game with a four-run fifth and then took the lead by scoring twice in the sixth inning.
Martinez and Catano both had run-scoring hits in the game-tying fifth and junior Keniel Rosado (Juncos, P.R.) delivered a go-ahead RBI double in the sixth.
Wilberforce put a runner on with two outs in the sixth and had another runner on third with one out in the seventh, but redshirt sophomore Max Garrelts (Overland Park, KS) came on to strike out each of the next two batters and nail down the victory with his first save.
Junior Hayden Simon (Stouffville, Ontario, Canada) earned his third win in as many decisions, allowing five hits and a run over 4-2/3 innings of relief.
Orlando Olvera, the second of four Bulldog hurlers, took the loss after walking two and allowing two runs in one-third of an inning.
Martinez finished 2-for-2 with a run batted in, while Rosado and Devapalan both doubled and drove in a run.
Redshirt sophomore Brett Haskins (Evans, WV) also had a double in the win.
Phillip Williams III went 3-for-3 with a home run and two runs batted in for Wilberforce, while Hampton went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Rio Grande was scheduled to host Cleary (Mich.) University in a doubleheader on Wednesday, but the twin bill was cancelled due to the forecast of inclement weather.
The RedStorm will now return to action, weather permitting, on Friday when it opens a four-game weekend series with Concordia-Ann Arbor (Mich.) University at Bob Evans Field.
First pitch for Friday's opener is scheduled for noon.
