MOUNT VERNON – A day after a doubleheder sweep of Marian University by scores of 14-12 and 3-1, the Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team (12-7, 7-1) split its home-opening doubleheader with Ohio Christian University (5-13, 1-5) on Tuesday, March 15, losing 5-3 and winning a rout in the nightcap, 17-1..
In the first game, the Cougars got out to a slow start, scoring only one run through the first four innings. The Trailblazers had a big fourth inning as they capitalized on defensive miscues by the Cougars. After four, Ohio Christian led by a score of 5-1. The Cougars were able to cut the deficit to 5-3 after RBI from Jake Glover and Casey Kalman. The Cougars' bullpen kept them in the game and the offense had chances in the sixth and seventh innings, but the comeback effort came up short. Devin Pearl was able to get the offense going a little, going 2-for-3 at the plate. Toby Walker, Andrew Miller, Jake Glover, Cameron Miller and Clay Cottle each had one hit.
Game Two went the Cougars' way. Maxwell Donawa got the start on the bump for MVNU and pitched three innings, giving up only two hits and one unearned run. The Cougars were able to score at least one run in every inning. MVNU started off with three runs in the bottom half of the first with an RBI double by Kalman, an RBI single by Pearl, and a sacrifice fly from Hunter Billman. The Cougars got two more in the second on a groundout and a passed ball. MVNU opened things up in the third with six runs and four more in the fourth. MVNU then added one run in the fifth and sixth innings to take the game by a final of 17-1. Pearl and Damien Kandel each homered for MVNU, and Cougars second baseman Zackary Hoop had two hits, scored twice, drove in three RBI and smashed a double.
