Cougars Sweep Northwestern Ohio 11-1 and 7-6


	Cougar Baseball Recap Cougars Sweep Northwestern Ohio 11-1 and 7-6 written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director Game 1 Boxscore \| Game 2 Boxscore MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (3-6-2012) - The Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team swept a non-conference doubleheader from the University of Northwestern Ohio by the scores of 11-1 and 7-6 on Tuesday afternoon at sunny Cougar Field. The Cougars (4-0) got off to a good start in the first game when MVNU took advantage of an error to plate four unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning for an early 4-0 lead. Sophomore designated hitter Seth Eller plated the first run with an RBI double, sophomore third baseman Jeff Stone drove in a run with a ground out, and sophomore outfielder Robert Kane added a two-out, two-run double to cap off the inning. The Racers (7-5), who received a vote in the NAIA preseason poll, took advantage of a pair of walks and a pair of wild pitches to plate a run in the top of the third inning as a double by Dylan Brammer made it 4-1. However, a pair of pickoffs by junior left-hander Justin Brown helped the Cougars avoid giving up a big inning. MVNU extended its lead to 8-1 in the bottom of the third inning when freshman outfielder Jake Dickerson had an RBI triple to right center and came around to score on a ground ball to first base by Kane, who reached on an error. Freshman second baseman Sterling Harpst followed with a two-run homer to leftfield. The Cougars capped off the scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning when Kane singled in Dickerson who led off with a double. Kane later scored on a bases-loaded walk to junior shortstop Jordan Doherty, and MVNU invoked the 10-run mercy rule on senior first baseman Josh Roberts' single to leftfield as the Cougars prevailed 11-1. Brown (1-0) earned the victory in just the third start of his career as he tossed his first complete game and allowed just two hits, five walks, and one run over five innings of work with four strikeouts. Justin Binegar (0-2) started and took the loss for Northwestern Ohio. He gave up six hits, one walk, and eight runs (only three earned) in just 2.1 innings of work with one strikeout. Austin Park, Adam Ashman, and Derek Roop all saw action on the mound in relief for the Racers. Kane led MVNU by going 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Dickerson also went 2-for-2 with three runs scored, while Roberts added a pair of hits. Northwestern Ohio collected both of its hits in the game in the top of the third inning on Brammer's double and a double by Kevin Cyrus. "I thought we really set the tone in the first inning of game one," said MVNU coach Keith Veale. "Justin went to work with a quick 1-2-3 inning, which allowed us to get the lead early. Seth got it started with an RBI double, Jeff had a productive two-strike RBI ground ball, and Robert finished the inning with another two-strike RBI double. Seven of the eight hitters in the first inning were hitting with two strikes and they all had quality at bats." "This was another game where we got production at the bottom of the order," Veale added. "Robert was on base three times, Sterling put a good swing on a ball in the third, and (freshman catcher) Kevin (Chaffin) was on base three times. That really makes things tough on the opposing pitchers when there are no soft spots in the lineup. Justin did a nice job on the mound battling through his innings. Once we got through the third inning with him, he threw another couple of solid innings. I think he will continue to improve." The Cougars found themselves trailing early in the second game as two singles, two hit batsmen, a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly in foul ground, and an error helped the Racers take a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. MVNU got two of the runs back in the bottom of the first inning to pull within 3-2 as one run came in on a wild pitch and Eller plated the second run with an RBI single. Northwestern Ohio extended its lead to 4-2 in the top of the third inning when Fabian Placencia led off with a double and later came around to score on a two-out, run-scoring single by Ben Schubert to left center. The score remained that way until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Cougars took their first lead of the game. The first run came in on a wild pitch, and then Roberts *(pictured below)* and Eller hit consecutive pitches well over the leftfield fence for back-to-back home runs to put MVNU in front 5-4. The lead was short-lived, though, as the Racers answered in the top of the sixth inning. With one out and runners at second and third, two runs came in on a wild pitch by freshman lefty reliever Cameron Juhasz when sophomore catcher Greg Travis could not find the ball in time as Northwestern Ohio went back on top 6-5. Ironically, the Cougars knotted the score at 6-6 on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning. Then, MVNU took a 7-6 lead when Travis reached on an error by Alex McKinstry, the Racers' second baseman. Following a leadoff walk to Pacencia in the top of the seventh inning, the Cougars called on senior right-hander Jeff Estep to close the door. He promptly retired the next three batters and left the potential tying run at third base as MVNU prevailed 7-6. Junior right-handed pitcher Darren Athey started and worked 5.1 innings and allowed five hits, three walks, and six runs (five earned) with one strikeout as he made his first career start after 33 consecutive relief appearances. Juhasz (1-0) picked up the win in relief as he allowed a walk but recorded two outs including a strikeout. Estep notched his first career save in 24 appearances as he tossed the scoreless top of the seventh inning. Rob Wilson started and gave up nine hits and five runs over five innings with three strikeouts for the Racers. Ben Ehgoetz (0-1) took the loss in relief as he did not record an out and gave up one hit, one walk, and two runs while facing just two batters. Ryan Staton recorded the final three outs for Northwestern Ohio. Roberts went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead the Cougars as he scored two more runs. Eller and Kane added two hits apiece, while freshman outfielder Andrew Fila stole two more bases to finish with four steals in the doubleheader. After having just 10 home runs all last season, MVNU now has seven home runs through its first four games this year with six different players accounting for them. Northwestern Ohio was led offensively by Schubert, who drove in two runs, and Placencia and Pichi Torres, who each doubled. "This game had a different feel to it compared to the first three games of this season," said Veale. "We found ourselves behind early and looking uphill most of the game. Darren struggled in the first inning with a couple of hit batsmen that cost us. The encouraging sign was that he did settle in and get us through five innings. I was very encouraged with Cam coming in for his first collegiate action and got us out of the sixth inning. We were unfortunate with the wild pitch scoring two runs, but I liked what I saw. When we walked the leadoff hitter in the top of the seventh, we wanted to see what Jeff could do in a closing situation. He went right at the hitters and gut us a victory. That was another good sign." "All in all, we are pleased with the day," Veale continued. "We faced a team with 10 games under their belt and we came out on top twice. We need to get our pitchers to attack the strike zone more consistently. I did see a lot of things I like, however. We ran the bases much better. We showed some pop with the bats again. I thought for the most part we played well defensively, and we made two or three outstanding plays on defense." The Cougars will now turn their focus to their first-ever Mid-Central College Conference series as MVNU will travel to Mason, Ohio on Friday and Saturday to face two-time defending MCC regular-season champion Taylor University in a pair of doubleheaders. Action against the No. 25 Trojans will get under way at 1 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday at Prasco Park.

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