By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, OH---Nick Collins pounded out six hits today as the Express baseball team swept Sinclair Community College in the second of a back-to-back doubleheader set. The Tartan Pride took two from the Express on Sunday.
Game 1: Sinclair 9 Owens 4 (Sunday)
Matt Kruzel shut down the Express as the lefty tossed a complete game with nine strikeouts as the Tartan Pride took the first game of the series.
The Tartan Pride offense scored three runs over the first two innings off Express starter Michael Fry to take an early lead.
The Express then got an RBI single from Logan Shullick in the third to cut the deficit to 3-1 before Lance Straley picked up his third RBI of the game in the fourth to give his team a 4-1 lead.
In the fifth, the Express got an RBI double from Nate Manis, who later scored on a passed ball. Following that, Shullick, who walked, scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at four through five innings.
The sixth inning proved to be the undoing for the Express as they gave up five runs. Fry was charged with all five, but Jordan Hill relieved him for the final out of the inning.
Kruzel allowed four hits, four runs (two earned) and two walks in his seven innings, while Fry totaled 5.2 innings, nine hits, nine runs (seven earned) and four walks. Hill threw a clean 1.1 innings.
The four hits from the Express came via Manis, Ryan Horvath, Shullick and Benjamin Breymier.
Game 2: Sinclair 10 Owens 7 (Sunday)
The Express were, once again, foiled by the big inning as the Tartan Pride scored five runs in the fifth to break open a tie game en route to a three-run victory.
After the Tartan Pride took a two run lead in the top of the first off Express starter Sam Hackney, the Express offense tied it up in the bottom half thanks to a two-run single from Austin Cowan.
Both teams then went scoreless over the next three innings before the Tartan Pride struck big in the fifth with five runs.
After the Tartan Pride added another run to take an 8-2 lead in the sixth, the Express started to fight back.
Anthony Perez lined a two-run double to left and scored on a wild throw to cut the deficit to three.
Following that, a Lance Straley two-run homer gave the Tartan Pride a 10-5 lead in the seventh, and the Express added two in the last half for the final margin.
Manis and Alex Samson walked and later scored on a fielding error for those two Express runs.
Cowan finished 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs, while the other three hits came from Horvath, Breymier and Perez, who finished 1-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.
Craig Koehler started and picked up the win for the Tartan Pride. He allowed six hits, five runs and four walks while striking out eight over 5.2 innings.
Hackney allowed two hits, five runs (two earned) and three walks while striking out two in four innings.
Luke Whelpton pitched the final three innings and allowed five hits, five runs (three earned) and two walks. He struck out one.
Game 3: Owens 12 Sinclair 11
The Express won a slugfest in today's opening game thanks to the bats of Collins and Cowan.
After four innings, the game was tied at three. The Tartan Pride scored three in the top half of the second, while the Express scored twice in the second and once in the third.
In the second, Nolan Rao grounded into a bases loaded double play before Manis lined a two-out RBI single to center for the inning's second run.
In the third, Horvath singled to short, allowing Collins to score.
Each team then traded blows as the final three innings saw both teams score four runs on four occasions.
After the Tartan Pride took a 7-3 lead in the top of the fifth, the Express tied it up in the bottom half.
Cowan lined an RBI single to short, before Horvath and Cowan scored on wild pitches later in the inning.
After the Tartan Pride were held scoreless in the top half of the sixth, the Express got an RBI single from Breymier, a two-run double from Perez and a bases loaded walk from Manis to take an 11-7 lead.
In the seventh, the Tartan Pride didn't quit as Tyler Raymond hit a three-run home run to right and Austin Downing was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie it up.
The Express, however, only need three at bats in the last half to capture the victory. Horvath walked and Cowan was hit by a pitch to put the first two runners on. After a wild pitch, Breymier hit a sacrifice fly to center to give the Express the 12-11 victory.
The two teams combined for 26 hits, with the Express tallying 15 of them. Collins (4-for-5, 3 runs) led the way, while Cowan (3-for-4, two runs, RBI), Manis (2-for-3, run, RBI) and Perez (2-for-3, two runs, two RBIs) also contributed.
Scott Haag, the fifth of five pitchers for the Tartan Pride, took the loss. He started the seventh inning on the mound. Meanwhile, Jordan Hill picked up the win in relief for the Express. In 0.2 innings, he allowed one run and three walks.
Dane Davis started for the Express and allowed 11 hits, 10 runs (six earned) and two walks while striking out four in 6.1 innings. He exited after allowed the three-run homer to Raymond.
Game 4: Owens 4 Sinclair 2
Collins played a pivotal role in the final game of the series as he scored twice, including the game winning run as the Express captured a series split.
The game was scoreless until the third when Breymier's RBI single scored Collins and gave the Express a 1-0 lead.
The Tartan Pride answered back with a solo run in the fourth to tie the game.
In the fifth, the Express got an RBI single from Horvath and a bases loaded walk from Breymier to take a 3-1 lead.
In the sixth, the Tartan Pride scored once, but Garrett Scott came on in relief to strand runners at second and third to end a further threat.
Horvath had an RBI single in the bottom half to give the Express an insurance run and a 4-2 lead.
In the seventh, Scott allowed a two-out walk, but nothing else to pick up the save.
Nick Street started for the Express and pitched well. He allowed just five hits, two runs and three walks while striking out three over 5.1 innings. Scott allowed just one hit and one walk in 1.2 innings.
Haag picked up the loss in game two, as well, but he started this time. Carlos Pena relieved him for the final two innings.
Horvath finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Collins was 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs.
Notes
In the four game series, Cowan went 7-for-14 with three runs and three RBIs, Horvath was 6-for-12 with three runs, two doubles and three RBIs, and Collins was 6-for-12 with seven runs and one double.
The Express (11-18 overall, 6-10 OCCAC) will travel to Ashland University to take on their JV squad tomorrow afternoon.