Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Ohio Northern University

Baseball finishes Derby City Classic with 3-0 record after 13-3 run-rule victory over Kalamazoo and 15-1 victory over Spalding

Baseball finishes Derby City Classic with 3-0 record after 13-3 run-rule victory over Kalamazoo and 15-1 victory over Spalding
Video Box Score Box Score
March 1, 2026

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ohio Northern scored 28 runs and pounded out 27 base hits in a 13-3 run-rule victory over Kalamazoo (Mich.) and a 15-1 victory over Spalding (Ky.) on Sunday at the Derby City Classic.

The Basics

  • Records: Ohio Northern (3-0 Overall), Kalamazoo (Mich.) (8-2 Overall), Spalding (Ky.) (1-5).
  • Venue: Derby Field - Louisville, Ky.

Kalamazoo Highlights - W, 13-3 (7 Innings)

  • Kalamazoo jumped on top early with a 2-run homer in the first and added another in the second to go up 3-0.
  • ONU wouldn't lay dormant for long as senior Robbie Reed (Goshen, Ky./Trinity) ripped a double that scored sophomore Charlie Oakleaf (New Albany) in the bottom of the third inning.
  • An inning later Junior Evan Russ (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) knocked an RBI single to get things rolling, but the Polar Bears weren't done there.
  • Freshman Tyler Rinehart (Boonville, Ind./Boonville) launched a 2 RBI triple and then Reed hit his second double of the game to cap off a 4-run inning to make it 5-3.
  • In the decisive 6th inning, Ohio Northern's offense erupted as they plated 8 runs and had 12 hitters come to the plate. This included an exclamation mark 2-run homer from Russ with two outs to cap the inning off.  
  • Freshman Drew Tolfree (East Lansing, Mich./Lansing Catholic) started on the mound and picked up his first career win throwing 5.0 innings and allowing 3 runs.
  • Frehsman Keegan Campbell (West Chester/Lakota West) picked up the save as he pitched the final 2.0 innings of play.

Spalding Highlights - W, 13-1 

  • Early in their second game, the Polar Bears were the ones who jumped to an early lead at 4-0 in the top half of the second. 
  • Russ kicked things off in the inning with a solo homer and then RBI singles from Sammy Roush (Blanchester) and Kyle Callahan (Brunswick) as well as an RBI from Kyler Lapp (Hall, Ill.) after he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. 
  • Northern struck again after Roush knocked an 2 RBI double in the top of the third. 
  • The ONU offesne scored again when Senior Andrew Stechschulte (Findlay) knocked in freshman Carson Stevens (Wyoming), making it 7-0. 
  • Senior Chase Armstrong (Boonville, Ind) scored on a passed ball in the top of the sixth to make it 8-0.
  • Again in the seventh, the offense was active with Stevens hitting an RBI single, two more Polar Bear hitters drawing walks with the bases loaded, and last Aslyn Farinelli (Crown Point, Ind.) hit a 2 RBI single to cap the inning off with a 13-0 lead.
  • Spalding was able to get one back in the bottom of the eighth to make it 13-1
  • Northern answered in the top of the ninth when Farinelli tripled to score Stechschulte, and then a throwing error brought Farinelli in one play later and made it 15-1
  • Freshman Jarrett Haan (Findlay) got the start and the win for Ohio Northern as he threw 6.0 shutout innings and also registered 7 strikeouts.

Notables

  • Russ led the way offensively, going 5-for-6 at the plate with 2 home runs and batted in 4 RBIs.
  • Ohio Northern now leads the all-time series with Kalimazoo (Mich.) 7-1 and are now 7-0 in the last 7 matchups.
  • Ohio Northern trails in the all-time series with Spalding (Ky.) 2-1.
  • Armstrong is 5th all-time in ONU history in home runs, 6th in RBIs and double, 8th in walks, and 10th in slugging percentage, with totals of 24 homers, 111 RBIs, 36 doubles, 80 walks, and a .555 slugging percent. 
  • Armstrong and senior Andrew Stechschulte (Findlay) are both members of the 100-hit club, with 124 and 122 hits, respectively. Also joining them is Reed with 120 and Lapp with 103. 
  • Ohio Northern is beginning its 121st season of baseball. The Polar Bears are 1496-1163-20 all-time, a winning percentage of .558.
  • 15th-year head coach Gene Stechschulte is now 308-216 at Ohio Northern for a winning percentage of .585.

Up Next

  • The Polar Bears will return to action when they travel to Auburndale, Fla., to play in the Russ Mat Invitational, starting with St John Fisher (N.Y.) on Saturday at 5:00 PM.