TIGERS CONCLUDE WEEKEND SERIES WITH TAYLOR
ATHENS, Tenn. - The RV Olivet Nazarene University Tiger Baseball dropped the final two games to finish the weekend series 1-3 against the Taylor University Trojans Saturday afternoon.
Game One: Taylor 11, RV Olivet Nazarene 1
The Tigers jumped on the scoreboard first as Ryan Russman's two-out base hit in the top of the second inning drove in Kai Hudson. The Trojans quickly responded in the bottom of the inning to tie the game up 1-1.
TU proceeded to score 10 additional unanswered runs en route to winning the first game of the afternoon. Jacob Bulthuis, Robert Jackman, and Russman combined for all three ONU hits in the early day action. Nolan Belschner struck out four batters while Logan Marx and Michael Freitas each tallied additional punchouts.
Game Two: Taylor 9, RV Olivet Nazarene 5
Tyler Wheeler's fourth home run of the season scored Rod Lucus to kick off the proceedings in the final game of the series. The Tigers scored their third run in the top of the first inning after Dylan Miller hit his first double of the spring to bring home Kai Hudson.
In the top of the third, Robert Jackman knocked in Wheeler to increase their lead, 4-0. The Trojans tied up the ball game in the bottom of the inning after loading up the bases and clearing them with a grand slam.
The side from Indiana broke the game open in the fifth inning scoring five additional runs. Miller recorded his second RBI of the contest to send Gunnar Pullins home in the bottom of the seventh. Robert Jackman drew a walk in the subsequent at-bat to load the bases and bring Russman to the plate as the tying run. The infielder from Wheaton, Ill. put a ball into play, but TU's shortstop threw him out at first to end the ballgame.
QUICK HITS (All four games)
- Aren Gustafson struck out a season-high seven batters in four innings of play.
- Tyler Wheeler recorded four RBIs in the last two days.
- Dylan Miller drew two walks to go along with his double and two RBIs
- Kai Hudson has gotten on base in each of the last six games to increase his OBP to .333.
GAME VITALS
Finals: Game One: TU 11, RV ONU 1 | Game Two: TU 9, RV ONU 5
Records: Taylor 9-6 | ONU 4-8
WHAT's NEXT?
The RV Tigers will be back in action on Friday, March 4 as they begin a four-game series against Concordia (Mich.). The first pitch of game one at the DuPage Medical Group Field in Joliet, Ill. is set for 12:00 p.m. CST with game two of the doubleheader to be played at 3:00 p.m. CST. Please visit ONUTigers.com for all the latest information and up-to-date links to follow all the action.
--ONU—
*Contact: Patrick Kaindl, Sports Information Graduate Assistant