Rio Grande Sports Information
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - For much of the 2024 season to date, scoring runs hasn't been nearly the issue that keeping the opposition off the scoreboard has been for the University of Rio Grande.
But Friday afternoon's River States Conference doubleheader with Ohio Christian University proved to be the polar opposite.
The RedStorm managed just three runs and nine hits over the course of their twin bill, falling 3-1 and 4-2 to the Trailblazers at Bob Evans Field.
Rio Grande dropped to 12-23 overall and 4-10 in conference play as a result of the losses.
Ohio Christian upped its record to 10-19 overall and 7-7 in the RSC by virtue of the sweep.
Three Trailblazer pitchers checked the RedStorm on just four hits in the nine-inning opener, while four OCU hurlers allowed only five hits in the seven-inning nightcap. Only two of the nine Rio hits went for extra bases.
Game one remained scoreless until an RBI double by Spencer Crane in the fifth gave a OCU a 1-0 lead.
The Trailblazers tacked on two more markers in the seventh - one on a run-scoring single by Caleb Haller - to make it 3-0 before Rio Grande got on the scoreboard in the eighth inning thanks to a one-out walk to senior Luke Lindamood (Minford, OH), a double by freshman Omar Chirinos (Santa Rita City, Venezuela) and a sacrifice fly by senior Angel Cruz (Santo Domingo, D.R.).
The RedStorm did manage to get the would-be tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning after freshman Samuel Colina (Maracaibo, Venezuela) led off with a single, but sophomore Josh Whent (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) bounced into a double play and sophomore Darwin Oleaga (Boston, MA) bounced out to first to end the game.
Haller and Ross Donaldson had two hits each for Ohio Christian.
Tyler House started and got the win for the Trailblazers, allowing two hits and a run over 7-1/3 innings. Ridge Clark recorded the final four outs for a save.
Sophomore Daewin Spence (Portsmouth, OH) pitched well, but suffered the loss for Rio Grande. He allowed five hits and three runs over seven innings, while walking two and fanning seven.
Game two saw Rio take a first inning lead on a two-run single by Oleaga, but Ohio Christian rebounded to tie thanks to a solo home run by Crane in the second and a run-scoring single by Clark in the third.
Clark put the Trailblazers in front with an RBI single in the fifth and another run scored in the seventh thanks to an error.
Rio Grande had additional scoring opportunities which it failed to take advantage of.
The RedStorm loaded the bases with one out in the second and couldn't score, while also leaving runners in scoring position in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Rio also got the would-be tying run to the plate with one out in the seventh, but Whent bounced into a game-ending 1-6-3 double play.
Junior Gabe Carter (Huntington, WV) started and took the loss for the RedStorm, allowing seven hits and three runs - two earned - over five innings.
Lindamood added a double in a losing cause.
John Santopadre allowed three hits and the two runs over five innings to get the win for OCU. Clark tossed a scoreless seventh to record his second save of the day.
Crane and Clark both had two hits and an RBI.
The two teams wrap up the series on Saturday afternoon with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
