Baseball sweeps Otterbein 7-4, 8-3 to run winning streak to five games

By Tim Glon

ADA — The Ohio Northern baseball team ran its winning streak to five games with a 7-4, 8-3 double header sweep of Otterbein on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon at Wander Field.

The Polar Bears improve to 15-13 overall and are 6-6 in Ohio Athletic Conference play, while the Cardinals fall to 16-13, 7-5.

In the opening game, senior Jackson Buda (Norton) was outstanding on the hill, throwing 5.1 innings of 1-hit shutout relief to improve to 1-0 on the season as ONU rallied from a quick 3-0 deficit to post the 7-4 victory.

Northern trailed 4-1 after four innings, but scored single runs in the fifth and sixth frames to pull within 4-3.

ONU took a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning on an RBI single by sophomore Matthew Burkett (Maumee) and a sac fly by senior Caleb Thomas (Strongsville).

Burkett capped a 2-run eighth with a sac fly of his own as ONU scored six unanswered runs.

In Game 2, junior Josh Mohr (Oregon/Clay) went 6 strong innings, allowing only two earned runs to get the win and improve to 2-2.

Sophomore James Fisher (Castalia/Margaretta) threw 3.0 shutout innings, also allowing only 1 hit, to get the save.

A 2-run single nu freshman Corey McMann (Flower Mound, Tex./Liberty Christian) sparked a 4-run fifth inning as ONU turned a 3-2 advantage into a 7-2 lead.

Burkett and McMann each finished the day with 3 hits and 3 RBI.

The Polar Bears will return to action on Wednesday with a home game against area-rival Bluffton at 4:30 pm at Wander Field.