Rio Grande Sports Information
NEW ALBANY, Ind. - Host Indiana University Southeast made a big lead early in game one stand up, while rallying from an early game two deficit for a doubleheader sweep of the University of Rio Grande, Saturday afternoon, in River States Conference baseball action at the Koetter Sports Baseball Complex.
The Grenadiers, ranked No. 11 in the latest NAIA coaches' Top 25 poll, improved to 28-9 overall and 15-2 in conference play with the two victories.
The sweep left the RedStorm at 15-25 overall and 6-12 in the RSC, tied with West Virgina University-Tech for seventh place in the league standings.
Rio and the Golden Bears are one game back of sixth-place Midway, with the Tech holding the tiebreaker. The top six teams qualify for the RSC Championship.
IU Southeast jumped to a 4-0 first inning lead in Saturday's opening game and, after Rio Grande sliced the deficit in half with two fourth inning markers, the Grenadiers scored four more times in the home fourth to build what proved to be an insurmountable advantage.
The RedStorm did make things interesting with two runs in the seventh and three runs in the eighth to close within 9-7, but head coach Brad Warnimont's team could get no closer.
Preston Shelton went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs, while Nolan Bowser was 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI to fuel the winning effort for IUS.
Ethan Burdette, Trevor Goodwin and Colin Long all had two hits and drove in a run for the Grenadiers, while Jack Ellis also finished with two RBI. Long's hit total included a double.
Brendan Whalen started and got his sixth win in seven decisions, allowing four hits over three shutout innings on a bullpen outing for the hosts.
Nick Pazos earned his sixth save with a perfect ninth inning, including a pair of strikeouts.
Senior Gabe Carter (Huntington, WV) started and lost for Rio Grande after allowing eight hits and eight runs - only four of which were earned - in a 3-2/3 inning stint on the mound.
The RedStorm did bang out 16 hits offensively, with redshirt sophomore Brett Haskins (Evans, WV) going 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
Freshman Gregory Catano (Miami, FL) and senior Likeiry Jimenez (Reading, PA) both had two hits and a run batted in, while senior Beiker Fuentes (Crystal Lake, IL) and junior Casey Funk (Houston, TX) also had two hits each in a losing cause. Jimenez and Funk both had doubles.
In game two, Rio Grande took a 1-0 third inning lead on a solo home run by Fuentes before the Grenadiers had the first of back-to-back three-run innings in the fourth to take a lead they would never relinquish.
Goodwin went 2-for-3 with a double, while Shelton and Coulter Hamilton knocked in a pair of runs each for IUS.
Gavin Gentry, the first of four Southeast pitchers, allowed five hits and one run over four innings to get the win.
Redshirt sophomore Jacob Napier (Alexandria, KY) took the loss for Rio Grande after surrendering four hits and six runs in his four innings of work.
The RedStorm will return to action on Tuesday with a non-conference road outing against NCAA Division I University of Akron.
First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
