By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Kirtland, Ohio---Kyle Bennett (Grove City/Grove City, Ohio) tossed a complete game, while allowing just one run, to lead the Owens Community College baseball team to a 9-1 win in today's second game against Lakeland Community College. The victory came after a wild, 12-11 victory in game one for Owens.

Game 1: Owens 12 Lakeland 11

Owens jumped out to a 10-2 lead in today's first game before Grant Peters (Eastwood/Pemberville, Ohio) and company hung on for a one-run victory.

In the first and second innings, Owens added single runs. In the first, Casey Gose (Genoa/Genoa, Ohio) singled and came around to score on an error.

Then, after Lakeland plated two runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead, Owens answered when Jake Norbut (Grove City/Grove City, Ohio) tripled to lead off the second and scored on an RBI groundout from Joe Szymanski (Maumee/Maumee, Ohio).

Owens followed those innings up by rallying for six runs in the third to break the game open. RBI hits were produced by Gose, Tyler Byerly (Washington Township/Crown Point, Ind.), Norbut and Jake Wichlacz (Eisenhower/Macomb, Mich.) Szymanski also added a sacrifice fly.

The scoring didn't stop in the next inning as Owens added one more run in each the fourth and fifth innings via an RBI grounder from Norbut in the fourth and a bases loaded double play from Charlie Sipe (Northrop/Fort Wayne, Ind.).

That's when things got crazy.

Owens starter Robbie Bekier (Cardinal Stritch/Toledo, Ohio) gave up four runs in the fifth that trimmed Lakeland's deficit in half. In the sixth, they put two on with two out to chase Bekier for Peters, who allowed both inherited runners to score. 

With their lead at just two, Sipe helped Owens respond in the top of the seventh with a two-run double that made it 12-8.

That hit would become important as Lakeland rallied for three more runs in the seventh off Peters, before the game ended on a comebacker to the mound with runners on first and second.

In 5.2 innings, Bekier (3-4) picked up the win. He allowed nine hits, eight runs (six earned) and two walks while striking out five. Peters picked up his first save despite allowing four hits and three runs (two earned) over 1.1 innings.

Gose (3-for-4, 3 R, RBI, BB), Byerly (3-for-4, R, RBI) and Sipe (2-for-5, R, 2 RBI) led the Owens offense. Those three comprised the top three batters in the lineup, and they also combined for three of the team's six extra base hits.

Game 2: Owens 9 Lakeland 1

Bennett allowed just six hits, while walking none, as Owens secured a doubleheader sweep with a 9-1 win in game two.

Sipe, Zach Coffield (Eastwood/Bowling Green, Ohio), Norbut and Wichlacz each picked up two hits apiece offensively, while Wichlacz produced a team-high four RBI.

Jake Weshalek (Shrine Catholic/Royal Oak, Mich.) had an RBI triple and Wichlacz had an RBI single to give Owens a 2-0 lead in the second. The lead stretched to six as Owens added four more runs in the fourth via an RBI grounder and a Lakeland error.

Bennett then gave up his lone run in the home half of the fourth inning before his offense added single runs in each of the final three innings.

Wichlacz had an RBI double in the fifth, Sipe had an RBI single in the sixth and Wichlacz had a sacrifice fly in the seventh to produce the final margin.

Bennett improved to 2-6 overall with his victory.

Notes

Owens improved to 16-21 overall and 6-16 in Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) play with the wins. They are one game behind Lakeland for third place in the OCCAC now with two games remaining against Lakeland Saturday.