Baseball wins third in a row, defeats Muhlenberg (Pa.) 15-5

By Bud Denega 

AUBURNDALE, Fla. — The Ohio Northern baseball team ran its win streak to three games during the Russ Matt Invitational Wednesday. The Polar Bears dismantled Muhlenberg (Pa.) 15-5 at Lake Myrtle Stadium to improve to 3-4 on the season.

Northern's bats started hot and remained warm throughout the contest. ONU recorded 17 hits, as nine different players logged a base knock. 

Junior Krue Thwaits (Greenville/Milton-Union) enjoyed the biggest day at the dish. He went 3-for-5 with a triple and five RBIs. 

Freshman Nate Webb (Liberty, Ind./Union County) and sophomore Corey McMann (Flower Mound, Tex./Liberty Christian) also had three hits, apiece. Webb, freshman Jacob Wenning (Coldwater), junior Will Davis (Upper Arlington/Bishop Watterson) and senior Phil Buckingham (Wayne/Elmwood) all plated one run each. 

The Polar Bears registered a three-run top of the first inning, as Thwaits knocked home a pair of runs. Thwaits added two more RBIs in the fifth, which gave his team 6-0 cushion. 

Muhlenberg boasted a five-run fifth to cut its deficit to just one run, but Northern would soon blow the game open. ONU tallied one in the sixth, one in the seventh, three in the eighth and four more in the ninth for a lopsided win. 

Senior Josh Mohr (Oregon/Clay) received the nod to start for Northern, and he lasted five innings. He surrendered five earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. Freshman Tim Knapschaefer (Maria Stein/Marion Local) tossed the final three innings of no-hit baseball for the save.

The Polar Bears continue play at the invitational Friday with a doubleheader against St. Mary's (Minn.).