Rio takes series opener from Midway

Rio Grande Sports Information
     MIDWAY, Ky. - Josiah Devapalan's two-run third inning single gave the University of Rio Grande the lead and a two-run home run by Likeiry Jimenez in the eighth inning added insurance in the RedStorm's 5-1 win over Midway University, Friday afternoon, in River States Conference baseball action at Tracy Farmer-Don Ball Stadium.
     Rio Grande improved to 13-14 overall and 5-2 in conference play with the victory.
     The host Eagles dropped to 11-14 overall and 5-5 in the RSC as a result of the loss.
     Midway grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by Cole Ginter, but the RedStorm took a lead it would never relinquish just one inning later.
     Freshman Gehrig Cordial (South Charleston, OH) reached on a one-out double and moved to third on a groundout before redshirt sophomore Brett Haskins (Evans, WV) walked and stole second, setting the stage for a two-run single by Devapalan - a junior from Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
     Rio Grande tacked on another run in the fourth when junior Keniel Rosado (Juncos, P.R.) was hit by a pitch with two outs and then scored moments later on a double to left-center by freshman Riley Wooldridge (Cincinnati, OH).
     That's how things remained until the top of the eighth inning when senior Waskar Martinez (Santiago, D.R.) doubled with one out and Jimenez - a senior from Reading, Pa. - followed with a home run to center field which set the final score.
     Five Rio Grande pitchers issued nine walks, but survived by allowing only two hits and striking out nine.
     Junior Schon Pespisa (El Monte, CA), No. 3 of the five, got his second win in as many decisions after allowing a hit in 1-2/3 scoreless innings.
     Redshirt sophomore Jacob Napier (Alexandria, KY) also tossed 1-2/3 scoreless innings - with a walk and strikeout - to earn his second save.
     Cordial finished 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles in the win.
     Blake Kincaid started and lost for the Eagles, allowing five hits and three runs over six innings. He walked two and was responsible for nine of the 14 strikeouts recorded by Midway's three pitchers.
     Barrett McGill had a double for the Eagles.
     The two teams will wrap up their weekend series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.