Rio Grande wins #RSCBASEBALL Games of the Week series with Saturday split
By Rio Grande Sports Information
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande took advantage of sloppy defensive play by West Virginia University-Tech to post an opening game win, while the Golden Bears rode a strong pitching performance from Chris Davidson for a game two triumph, Saturday afternoon, in River States Conference baseball action at Bob Evans Field.
Five Tech errors led to five unearned runs in the RedStorm's 8-4 victory in the opener, while Davidson scattered four hits over 6-1/3 shutout innings in the Bears' 3-0 win in the nightcap.
The four-game weekend series, which was designated as the RSC's Baseball Games of the Week, saw Rio Grande emerge with three wins.
Both teams finished the weekend at 16-16 overall and 10-6 in league play.
In game one, Rio Grande got a complete game effort from senior right-hander Trent Downs (Chillicothe, OH). He allowed five hits and four runs, while walking one and striking out three.
The RedStorm scored three unearned runs in the first inning before the Golden Bears tied the game with three runs of their own in the top of the third.
Rio Grande went in front to stay, though, with two runs in the bottom of the third and another run in the fourth.
Tech pulled within 6-4 after pushing across a run in the fifth inning, but the RedStorm sealed the win and set the final score with a pair of markers in the home sixth.
Junior Cody Blackburn (Amanda, OH) had two hits and junior Ty Warnimont (Rio Grande, OH) drove in a run in the winning effort.
Tanner Levine had a pair of RBI for WVU-Tech in the loss, while Jarron Monroe started and suffered the setback for the Golden Bears.
Game two was, for the most part, a pitcher's duel between Davidson and Rio junior starter Collin Powers (Janesville, WI).
The contest was scoreless until got consecutive two-out singles by Marcus Rodriguez, Kurt Latocha and Doug Prather to take a 1-0 lead.
Levine added a solo home run in the sixth and Brady Grosebeck added a sacrifice later in the frame to make it 3-0.
Davidson had checked the RedStorm on a pair of hits through the first six innings before the RedStorm mounted a seventh inning rally.
Blackbrun led off with a single and senior Dan Crozier had a one-out hit, prompting Tech head coach Lawrence Nesselrodt to call on his closer out of the bullpen, Garrison Vandeventer.
Vandeventer promptly walked senior Luis Jimenez (Salinas, Puerto Rico) to load the bases and bring the potential winning run to the plate, but he struck out freshman Eli Daniels (Minford, OH) and retired junior Dominic Tiberi (Dublin, OH) on a flyball to deep left-center to end the game and pick up his league-leading sixth save.
Senior Carlos Flores (Guayanilla, Puerto Rico) had a double in a losing cause, while Powers - who allowed seven hits and the three runs while fanning four over five-plus innings - slipped to 0-6 with the loss.
Prather finished 3-for-3, Rodriguez had two hits and Jacob Reimold doubled in the win for Tech.
Davidson finished with six strikeouts en route to his fourth win in his decisions.
Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, hosting Ohio University-Chillicothe for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
WVU-Tech returns to action next Saturday, hosting Midway University for an RSC doubleheader at Douglas M. Epling Stadium in East Bank, W.Va.