By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, OH---The Express continued to roll Thursday as they moved to 11-1 after two wins over Ashland University's JV team.
In the first game, the Express defeated Ashland 6-2 after jumping out to a 5-1 lead after four innings and some fine defensive plays from Tyler Brown-Lewis.
Matt Hayes (North/Pickerington, Ohio) went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI from the three spot, while Jordan Basinger (Kalida/Kalida, Ohio) picked up his third win of the season.
Basinger (3-0) went four innings and allowed four hits, one run and two walks. He also struck out one.
Kelley Wagner (Brownstown/Brownstown, Ind.) picked up his first save after pitching the final three innings. He gave up one run, one hit and three walks, while also striking out one.
Garrett Busch (Start/Toledo, Ohio) had an RBI double and Hayes scored on a wild pitch to put Owens up two after the first inning.
After Ashland cut that lead in half in the third inning, the Express answered back with two runs on an RBI single by Hayes and a fielder's choice RBI groundout by Ryan Hotmer (Lake/Millbury, Ohio).
Andrew Poland (Central Catholic/Toledo, Ohio) knocked in another run in the fourth with a single. Ashland scored their second run in the sixth, but Michael Louis (Normandy/Parma, Ohio) added an RBI single in the bottom half.
Brown-Lewis may have been the player of the game. The freshman right fielder made two spectacular catches to save at least four runs, while adding a triple and a run scored.
In the third inning, Brown-Lewis made a diving catch on his stomach for the final out with runners on second and third. Then, in the fifth, he laid out to his left to make the final out with the bases loaded.
Cole Hudson took the loss for Ashland.
In the second game, a 10-run explosion in the first inning catapulted the Express to a 12-3 win in six innings.
The Express had eight straight batters reach base after the second out, leading to nine runs after two outs.
Hayes, Jesse Solomon (Wayne/Huber Heights, Ohio), and Travis Tackett (Switzerland County/Vevay, Ind.) each had two hits and two RBIs for Owens.
Solomon finished 2-4 with two runs and two RBIs, Hayes went 2-3 with three runs and two RBIs, and Tackett went 2-3 with a run and two RBIs.
Scott Robinson (Coventry/Coventry, Ohio) and Brown-Lewis each added two RBIs, while Danny Schira (Switzerland County/Vevay, Ind.) added one of his own.
Zak Esposito (2-0, Sandusky/Sandusky, Ohio) picked up the win while allowing four hits, three runs, and two walks while striking out two over four innings. Jeff Davis (St. Francis/Toledo, Ohio) went the last two innings and allowed one hit and one walk. He struck out one.
David Devine took the loss for Ashland JV. The game was called after five and a half innings due to darkness.
Former Owens Community College and Ashland University player, Austin Ritson, managed the game for Ashland JV.
Owens will now travel to Ashland on Saturday for a doubleheader rematch beginning at 1 p.m.