ONU DROPS BOTH GAMES IN FAYETTE, MO.

FAYETTE, Mo. – The Olivet Nazarene University baseball team drops both games on the opening day of their Missouri trip. The Tigers fell to William Woods (Mo.) 3-0 in the opening game followed by a 4-1 defeat to No. 12 MidAmerica Nazarene (Neb.) Geon Yoon finished the day with two hit, including a double, and an RBI.


First Game: William Woods (Mo.) 3, Olivet Nazarene 0

William Woods benefitted from a two-run third inning to provide enough offense to hand ONU their first loss of the day. A lead-off walk to begin the bottom of the third afforded the Owls the opportunity to move the runner into scoring position by way of a bunt single. A single to right field followed by a sacrifice fly to right field scored two WWU runs. An RBI single in the sixth inning rounded out the scoring for the opening game.

The Tigers recorded four hits in the seven-inning affair. Catcher Geon Yoon provided two of the four hits for the team going 2-3 from the plate with a double in the second inning. The best scoring opportunity arouse in the top of the third inning as Robert Jackman moved along the base paths following a lead-off walk. Jackman was one of two Tigers left on base in scoring positions. ONU totaled five runners left on base for the game.

Right-handed starting pitcher, Nolan Belschner, went five and two-thirds striking out six batters (a season-high). He faced 27 batters allowing nine hits and two walks resulting in three earned runs. Logan Marx entered for the final out of the sixth inning for his third appearance of the year.

Second Game: No. 12 MidAmerica Nazarene 4, Olivet Nazarene 1

The Pioneers quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. An error on the first ball in play of the game turned into the opening score off an RBI single to left field. The lead was doubled the following at-bat with a sacrifice fly.

The Tigers halved the lead in the fourth inning following a Geon Yoon RBI sacrifice fly. Back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom half of the inning. Donovan Yelle loaded up the bases drawing a hit-by-pitch and advanced Jack Dupuis to third. Yoon, a junior from South Korea, batted in ONU's first run of the day (his sixth of the year) with a fly ball to center field.

MAU hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to make it a three-run ball game. Kai Hudson got on base and advanced to a scoring position in the bottom half of the inning, but the Tigers fell short of a comeback.

Right-handed starting pitcher, Thomas Burns made his third start of the year. He set a new career-high with eight strikeouts in five and one-third innings of work. Thomas Plizga made his fifth appearance in relief to close out the remainder of the day.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Tigers are back in action tomorrow as they close out their Missouri trip with games against Columbia (Mo.) at 11 a.m. CT followed by No. 14 Central Methodist at 2 p.m. CT. Please visit ONUTigers.com for all the updated links to follow along.

--ONU—

*Contact: Patrick Kaindl, Sports Information Graduate Assistant; email pkaindl@olivet.edu