Rio starts fast, avoids series sweep by Oakland City

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande rebounded from a doubleheader loss at home to Oakland City University on Sunday, jumping to an early lead and posting a 7-3 victory over the Mighty Oaks in the final of their River States Conference baseball series, Monday afternoon, at Bob Evans Field.
     Rio Grande improved to 17-16 overall and 4-11 in conference play with the win.
     Oakland City, which was among the schools receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 coaches' poll, dropped to 25-9 overall and 10-5 in the RSC with the loss.
     The Mighty Oaks took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out, run-scoring hit by Nahzir Bergen, but the RedStorm countered with five runs in the second inning and a single marker in the third to take a commanding lead that they wouldn't relinquish.
     Sophomore Riley Wooldridge (Cincinnati, OH) pushed across the tying run in the second with a squeeze bunt and redshirt junior Brett Haskins (Ripley, WV) later plated two runs with a triple to center field.
     Sophomore Gehrig Cordial (South Charleston, OH) had an infield single to drive home the third inning run.
     Cordial, junior Joel Pagan (Humacao, Puerto Rico), junior Caleb Asjes (Overland Park, KS) and sophomore Carlos Mateo (Santo Domingo, D.R.) all had two hits in the win.
     The early offense backed a solid pitching performance by freshman left-hander KB Perkins (Chillicothe, OH), who scattered seven hits and pair of walks over 6-2/3 innings for his third win in six decisions.
     Senior Schon Pespisa (El Monte, CA) struck out three over 2-1/3 innings of hitless, scoreless relief for his first save.
     Tommy Johnson started and took the loss for Oakland City. The right-hander allowed eight hits and six runs - five earned - over four innings on the mound.
     Jake Winzenread and Dicky Gonzalez also drove in runs for the Mighty Oaks.
     Rio Grande is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Cleary (Mich.) University for a non-conference twin bill.
     The first of the two seven-inning affairs is slated to get underway at 1 p.m.