Slow start proves costly as Baseball opens 2024 season with 7-3 loss at Asbury (Ky.)

WINCHESTER, Ky. — A slow start proved costly as the Ohio Northern baseball team opens its 2024 season with a 7-3 loss at Asbury (Ky.) on Saturday evening.

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The Basics

• Records: Ohio Northern (0-1 overall), Asbury (4-2 overall)
• Venue: Clark H.S. - Winchester, Ky.

The Game

• Freshman Kyler Lapp (Hall, Ill.) led the ONU offense, going 2-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBI at the plate.
• Senior Logan Stevens (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) and junior Andrew Stechschulte (Findlay) each also went 2-for-4 at the plate.
• Fifth-year senior Jack Hutchins (Bright, Ind./East Central) (0-1) had a tough-luck opening outing, allowing six earned runs but only two base hits in 5.0 innings of work to take the loss for Ohio Northern.
• The Eagles scored five times in the bottom of the first on the help of just one base hit.
• Two hit batters, sandwiched around a walk, loaded the bases with none out. A fielder's choice made it 1-0 and an third walk loaded the bases again.
• Josh Head followed with a grand slam to give the hosts a quick 5-0 lead.
• Lapp doubled home sophomore Chase Armstrong (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) in the top of the fourth to get ONU on the board.
• Trailing 7-3 in the top of the ninth, Stevens led off the inning with a double and scored on a 2-run home run by Lapp.

Notables

• Ohio Northern is starting its 119th season of baseball. The Polar Bears are 1442-1139 all-time, a winning percentage of .559.
• Asbury competes in the National Christian College Athletic Association.
• 13th-year head coach Gene Stechschulte is now 254-190 at Ohio Northern for a winning percentage of .572.

Up Next

• The Polar Bears and Eagles will wrap up the weekend series with two 9-inning games on Sunday starting at Noon.