Baseball drops a pair of games to Elmhurst (Ill.)

By: Jay Garneau

XENIA — Despite a solid outing by sophomore Austin Price, the Ohio Northern baseball team dropped a pair of games by scores of 4-1 and 11-2 to Elmhurst College at the Athletes In Action Stadium on Sunday.

The Polar Bears fall to 5-2 overall, while the Bluejays improve to 4-0 on the year.

In the opener, Price tossed 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on just three hits while striking out seven batters.

Northern got on the board right away, as senior Adam Yunker singled and stole second, eventually scoring on an RBI single by sophomore Kevin Obarski.

After tying the game with a run in the fourth, Elmhurst took advantage of several ONU defensive miscues in the sixth, scoring three runs to take a 4-1 game.

Brian Marquis (1-0) picked up the win for the Bluejays, tossing 7.0 innings and allowing one earned run on five hits and two walks.

In Game 2, Elmhurst tallied three singles and a walk in the second inning to plate the first two runs.

The Bluejays then took advantage of three walks in the fourth inning, picking up two more runs on an RBI single and a double play to take a 4-0 lead.

ONU answered back in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomore Matt Holstein and junior Matt Hampshire led off the inning with back-to-back walks before sophomore Cory Martin walked. After a fielder's choice, senior Erik Stegman knocked in Hampshire with an RBI single before a wild pitch plated Martin, cutting ONU's deficit to 4-2.

Elmhurst picked up another run in the fifth when Dan Matkovic walked and scored on a David Wolak triple, pushing the lead to 5-2.

The Bluejays tacked on six more runs the next three innings to increase the lead to 11-2.

Joe Ramirez notched the win in the second game, throwing 6.0 innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out three.

The Polar Bears will return to action in their home opener Wednesday against Defiance at Wander Field at 4 p.m.