Baseball opens 2011 season with 10-4 win over Staten Island (N.Y.)

By: Monique Bowman

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The Ohio Northern baseball team opened up the 2011 season with a 10-4 win to the College of Staten Island (N.Y.) in day one of the Ripken Experience Division III week in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Northern starts the season 1-0 and prepares to face Alma (Mich.) tomorrow at 2 p.m. The Dolphins fall to 0-2 on the season.

In the second up 1-0, freshman Josh Murphy brought in junior Chad Coward and senior Adam Yunker with a hanging single to center field, taking a 3-0 lead.

The Polar Bears posted a huge fourth inning, which started with an Eric Stegman double. After freshman Brian Thomas reached first on a throwing error, Coward followed him with a homerun.

Later in the inning, junior Eric Yunker's sacrifice fly scored Murphy and then sophomore Kevin Obarski homered to complete the five-run inning and move ONU's lead to 8-0.

The Dolphins got on the board in the sixth inning and continued to inch closer to ONU's lead, scoring in the seventh and eighth innings as well. But Northern responded with two runs as insurance in the bottom of the eighth.

Austin Price picks up his first win of the season after six innings of work, while Shane Parks picks up the save.

Tingos take the loss for the Dolphins.

"It was a good opener all around; it's always nice to start out 1-0," head coach Justin Bergman said. "We got a bit complacent in the middle but able to turn it on when we needed to."

Murphy went 3 for 5 in the outing, while Coward had 3 hits in four at-bats. He also led with three runs scored.