RedStorm takes series opener from Tech

Rio Grande Sports Information
     BECKLEY, W.Va. - The University of Rio Grande grabbed a first inning advantage and never let it go, posting a 5-2 win over West Virginia University Tech, Friday afternoon, in River States Conference baseball action at Epling Field.
     The RedStorm, who ran their winning streak to four straight, improved to 20-16 overall and 5-11 in league play with the victory.
     WVU-Tech slipped to 11-23 overall and 2-14 in the RSC with the loss.
     Rio Grande took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame thanks to a run-scoring hit by senior Josiah Devapalan (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) and a sacrifice fly by freshman Jacob Kaiser (St. Marys, OH), while the Golden Bears countered in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single by Nolan Copeland to make it 2-1.
     The RedStorm then added single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings and were never headed.
     Sophomore Gregory Catano (Santo Domingo, D.R.) stole home for the fourth inning marker, junior Caleb Asjes (Overland Park, KS) hit a solo home run in the fifth and sophomore Gehrig Cordial (South Charleston, OH) scored on a wild pitch in the seventh.
     The pitching of four Rio hurlers took care of the rest.
     Redshirt freshman Logan Martin (Wellston, OH) earned the win, allowing seven hits and a run over six innings while walking two and fanning seven.
     Senior Schon Pespisa (El Monte, CA) worked a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season.
     Braedan Pakkala started and lost for WVU-Tech, allowing five hits and four runs - two earned - over 4-1/3 innings.
     Asjes finished 3-for-4, also adding a double to the RedStorm's winning effort, while freshman KB Perkins (Chillicothe, OH) went 2-for-4 and Cordial had a double.
     JJ Polvinale and Angel Leiva had two hits each in the loss and Leiva drove in the Golden Bears' other run.
     The two teams will conclude their weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday.
     First pitch is set for noon.