Rio Grande Sports Information
KOKOMO, Ind. - The University of Rio Grande finally got an elusive first win in conference play on Saturday, taking the back end of its River States Conference baseball doubleheader against Indiana University Kokomo at Kokomo Municipal Stadium.
The Cougars, who rallied for a walk-off win in Friday's series open, secured a series victory with a 6-3 triumph in game one of the twin bill before the RedStorm took game two, 2-1.
IU Kokomo finished the day at 6-14 overall and 6-3 against conference foes.
Rio Grande headed home at 13-12 overall and 1-8 in the RSC.
The game two win saw the RedStorm push across single runs in the third and fourth innings to back up an outstanding pitching performance by freshman southpaw KB Perkins (Chillicothe, OH).
Perkins surrendered an unearned run in the first inning, scattering seven hits and a walk with 11 strikeouts in a complete game effort.
Nate Montgomery's RBI single gave the host Cougars the early lead, but Rio tied things up on a run-scoring single by junior Caleb Asjes (Overland Park, KS) and took the lead when freshman Jacob Kaiser (St. Marys, OH) scored when junior Dalton Vance (Taylor, MI) bounced into a double play.
Kaiser and junior Joel Pagan (Humacao, P.R.) had two hits each for Rio Grande. Both of Pagan's hits were doubles and Kaiser also had a double.
Owen Norris, the second of three IUK hurlers, took the loss, allowing two hits and a run in his only inning.
Montgomery and Noah Wolf both had two hits in a losing cause for the Cougars.
Saturday's opening game saw Kokomo push across a third inning run before blowing things open with a five-run fourth inning.
Montgomery went 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Jedvier Garcia also drove in two runs and the duo of Payton Hankins and Luke Hanson contributed a double each.
Redshirt junior Brett Haskins (Ripley, WV) went 2-for-4 with a double for Rio Grande, while Pagan also doubled and drove in a run.
Redshirt freshman Logan Martin (Wellston, OH) started and lost for the RedStorm, allowing seven hits and six runs - five earned - over 3-1/3 innings.
IUK starter Koen Berry got the win, allowing just two hits and an unearned run over six innings.
Weather permitting, Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday with a single, nine-inning contest at Bluefield (Va.) University.
First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at historic Bowen Field.
