BATS HEAT UP IN CCAC-OPENING SWEEP OF FIGHTING BEES
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Ambrose (IA) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
|
Olivet Nazarene (IL) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 3 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Ambrose (IA) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
|
Olivet Nazarene (IL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | X | 7 | 10 | 0 |
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Playing in their first matchup of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) slate, the Olivet Nazarene University baseball team notched double-digit hits in both games to complete the doubleheader sweep over St. Ambrose Tuesday afternoon at Watson Field.
The Tigers pounded out 26 hits on the day, sending out 16 in the 10-9 win in the opener before registering 10 in the 7-6 nightcap win over the Fighting Bees. ONU's 16th hit in the opener proved the game-winner, with Kai Hudson playing the hero with a walk-off double to win the game in the seventh inning.
After the Tigers put up a crooked seven-run inning in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 9-4 lead, the Fighting Bees (6-8) responded with five unanswered runs over the next two frames to tie the score.
In the bottom of the seventh, Evan Pogioli drew a lead-off walk and was pinch-ran for by Taylor Bledsoe, who was promptly moved over on a sacrifice bunt from Fabian Torres. After Sam Reczek drew a walk of his own, Hudson came up clutch. The defending first-team all-CCAC shortstop rocked a double over the head of the SAU center field that brought Bledsoe home from second, locking up the win for ONU.
Six Tigers recorded multiple hits in the win, led by Reczek who went 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBIs and a walk. Hudson led the team with three RBIs and joined Jack Dupuis, Donovan Yelle, Joeseph Jimenez, and Geon Yoon as players with two hits on the day.
Matthew Derkacy, who navigated the Tigers through a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning, was credited with the win in relief. Jeffrey Vest struck out three Bees through three innings as the starter.
The hot offense rolled over into the second game of the doubleheader. After the Bees jumped out to an early three-run lead, Pogioli got ONU on the board with a lead-off jack in the third inning. The Tigers pounced for four more runs in the following inning, capped by a bases-clearing three-RBI triple by a pinch-hitting Masen Beatty to give ONU a 5-3 lead.
Pogioli tacked on another run with an RBI single in the sixth, but St. Ambrose rallied to erase the deficit with a three-run eighth. Pogioli once again came up clutch, however, with another RBI single to reclaim the lead. Joey Boland struck out the side in the top of the ninth to tack down the win and the save.
Pogioli led the offense with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate and three RBI. Beatty matched him with his three RBIs. Taylor Steig was responsible for the other run. Jordan Rhoden went five innings as the starter, only allowing three earned runs and striking out three. He was credited with the win.
The Tigers will look to continue their strong start to the conference schedule with a four-game set against Calumet this weekend.
--ONU—
*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu
