Rio outlasts Cougars in series opener

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - In Thursday afternoon's series-opening matchup with Indiana University Kokomo, the University of Rio Grande scored at least one run in each of its eight at bats.
     And as things turned out, the RedStorm needed every one of those runs to escape with a needed victory.
     Senior Beiker Fuentes (Crystal Lake, IL) and freshman Gehrig Cordial (South Charleston, OH) had two hits and three runs batted in each to lead head coach Brad Warnimont's squad in a marathon 14-12 win over the Cougars in River States Conference baseball action at Bob Evans Field.
     Rio Grande, which also got two RBI from junior Josiah Devapalan (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) improved to 16-25 overall and 7-12 in league play with the win.
     IU Kokomo, which had won each of the last eight meetings between the two schools, slipped to 18-24 overall and 11-10 against RSC foes with the loss.
     The host RedStorm bolted to a 6-1 lead after three innings before the Cougars pushed across a trio of fourth inning markers to get within 6-4.
     Rio Grande scored once in the home fourth and four times in the fifth to extend the advantage to 11-4, but IUK's five-run sixth inning rally got the guests as close as 11-9.
     Single runs by the RedStorm in the sixth and seventh made it 13-9, but the Cougars got both runs back in the eighth to again - for the third time - cut the deficit to two at 13-11.
     Rio scored once in the home eighth to push its lead to three runs and set the stage for a nail biting ninth inning finish.
     Brayden Coffey opened the inning with a base hit and pinch-hitter Mike Talesky greeted Fuentes, who entered to pitch in relief of junior Hayden Simon (Stouffville, Ontario, Canada), with a walk.
     Noah Wolf walked as well to load the bases, prompting the decision to replace Fuentes on the mound with Cordial.
     Alex Janke followed with an infield hit to plate Coffey and make it 14-12, but Cordial retired each of the next three batters to finally nail down the victory.
     Fuentes' day at the plate included a home run, while Cordial and Devapalan both doubled.
     Junior Keniel Rosado (Juncos, P.R.) finished 3-for-4 with a double and a run batted in for Rio, while senior Likeiry Jimenez (Reading, PA), redshirt sophomore Brett Haskins (Evans, WV) and freshman Gregory Catano (Miami, FL) all had two hits and drove in a run. One of the hits by Haskins was a double.
     Freshman Connor Gullett (Cincinnati, OH) started and got the win, despite allowing seven hits and five runs over five innings.
     Cordial earned his first save with the game's final three outs.
     Mason Whiteley, the first of five IUK hurlers, was saddled with the loss. He allowed nine hits and seven runs over just 3-1/3 innings.
     Janke went 3-for-5 with two RBI in the loss, while Wolf was 3-for-4 with a run batted in and Kasey Ross was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI.
     Mason Janz had two hits and drove in a pair of runs, while Payton Hankins doubled and drove in two runs and Coffey had two hits, including a double of his own.
     The two teams will close out the three-game series with a doubleheader on Friday.
     The nine-inning opener is scheduled for a noon first pitch, with the seven inning nightcap set for approximately 3:30 p.m.