Baseball drops 8-5 nonconference affair to Thomas More (Ky.)
By Blake Moore
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. — The Ohio Northern baseball program concluded a home-and-home series with nonconference foe Thomas More (Ky.) Wednesday afternoon, falling 8-5 in a single contest at Thomas More Field in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
The Polar Bears fall to 9-10 overall this season with the loss. Meanwhile, the Saints improve to a similar 9-10 mark.
With the midweek result, the two programs have split a two-game season series in 2019 after Northern captured a 9-0 victory last Wednesday at Wander Field.
Senior Caleb Thomas (Strongsville) guided the Ohio Northern offense after finishing three-for-five at the plate and tallying a team-high two RBI.
Classmate Luke Klinehoffer (Zanesville/John Glenn) and freshman Corey McMann (Flower Mound, Tex./Liberty Christian) also recorded multi-hit outings in the contest. The former finished the day two-for-five with a run scored while the latter ended two-for-four with a walk and two runs.
Sophomore James Fisher (Castalia/Margaretta) topped the individual efforts on the mound Wednesday, conceding just two hits and a walk over 2.2 scoreless frames.
Brett Benzinger led Thomas More at the plate, ending the day two-for-four with a walk and a team-high four RBI.
In the first inning, the Polar Bears jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after Thomas laced an RBI single down the left field line, bringing home sophomore Will Davis (Upper Arlington/Bishop Watterson).
After Thomas More hung three runs in the second, ONU responded with two runs in the third to level the score at 3-3. Davis kicked off the scoring with an RBI groundout, and Thomas slapped an RBI single up the middle to score McMann.
However, the Saints posted three more runs in the fourth frame to regain control on home soil, which included a two-run home run from Benzinger.
In the fifth, Ohio Northern attempted to rally for the lead when sophomore Krue Thwaits (Greenville/Milton Union) launched a solo home run and junior Scott Beaton (Novi, Mich.) ripped an RBI single into left field.
From there, TMC added one run in the fifth and one more in the sixth to secure the nonconference victory.
Both teams recorded 12 total hits and committed no errors in the contest.
The Polar Bears will return to action this Saturday afternoon with an OAC doubleheader against Mount Union at Wander Field. Game one is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch in Ada.