BB: OAC: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

It was beautiful outside today in Columbus so I was happy to see both Ott and Cap got games in this afternoon here.  Cap held on to beat OWU 7-6 on the road.  They're now 8-2. 

Ott swept Grove City in a couple of blow outs.  Meadows had a big day with a couple homers and a couple doubles.  Cards are 5-1.

Still in FL were ONU who got their first 2 W's easily against Finlandia and BW who beat Moravian 12-4 to go to 6-2 overall.

[Dr. Acula]

Looks like it was a pretty good day for the OAC today.

JCU (3-5) swept Medaille today 10-0 and 4-3.  The Streaks have won 3 straight after starting slowly.

ONU (3-3) has also won 3 straight now after a 7-2 win over Merchant Marine.

MUC (4-2) beat Mt. Aloysius 18-6.  According to Twitter the Raiders were 1 off the NCAA record as they registered 12 straight hits in an inning.  They had 27 in all. 

BW (7-2) got a good start from Scott (6 IP, 1 R, 6 K) and beat Bluffton 3-1.

The only blemish so far was Moravian beating Musky (3-2) in a close game 6-4.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount swept Trine this morning 2-1 and 4-2.  No box scores yet, but it would have been Smith and Murzynski's turn in the rotation again so hopefully this signals a 2nd good start for both of them.  Raiders are 6-2 and wrap up down south tomorrow against Wentworth.

[motorman]

Berg goes to 4-2 by avenging the opening game loss to Moravian, winning 4-2. Freshman Ryan Minteer goes 5 2/3 and gives up both runs. Teddy Lowe goes 2 1/3 to get the win in relief and go to 2-0 on the season. Daniel Brannum picks up his first save with a scoreless 9th. Hitting was all done by the bottom half of the lineup. Stars at the plate were freshman Steve Kisan, 3 for 4  with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI, with both a double and a triple. Senior Ross Pruitt also 3 for 4 with 3 singles and an RBI and sophomore SS Andrew Zenczak, 2 for 4 with and RBI.

Moravian struck first with a single run in the bottom of the first, Berg tied it in the top of the 5th. Moravian put another on the board in the bottom of the 6th, but Berg answered immediately with 1 in the top of the 7th. Freshman Eric Monroe led off the top of the 9th with a pinch hit single, was run for by freshman Trevor Oldham who advance to 2nd on a balk and was sacrificed to 3rd. Kisan then drove a hit to right center to plate the winning run. Pruitt followed with his 3rd single and after the 2nd out of the inning, Zenczak provided an insurance run with a line single to right.

[Dr. Acula]

Mount swept Trine this morning 2-1 and 4-2.  No box scores yet, but it would have been Smith and Murzynski's turn in the rotation again so hopefully this signals a 2nd good start for both of them.  Raiders are 6-2 and wrap up down south tomorrow against Wentworth.

It was indeed Smith and Murzynski throwing well yesterday.  Carlino had a great start today tossing 6 shut out innings in an 11-4 win.  MUC heads home at 7-2. 

[motorman]

Berg dropped one to Denison today 9-5. Berg took lead in the 2nd on single by freshman DH Austin Fleming , 2 Denison errors and an RBI single by sophomore 2B Joe Staab. Denison jumped on top with 2 unearned runs in the 4th and 3 more, 2 of which were earned in the 5th. Berg got freshman Bryan Peters off the hook by tying the game in the bottom of the 7th when after 2 walks and a single by Fleming were followed by a wild pitch and a balk and an RBI single by senior Ross Pruitt. The tie was short lived however when the bullpen allowed 4 runs in the top of the 8th to end the scoring.

Soph LF Arneal Squibb was 2 for 5 with a triple, and freshman Fleming was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored. Senior SS Ricky Lizcano was tossed after an at bat in the 3rd in which he was hit by a pitch on the back of the hand, however the umpire errantly ruled the ball came off the bat before hitting his hand.

Berg has 2 tomorrow vs Montclair State at 11 and Ohio Wesleyan at 3

[motorman]

Berg split yesterday, beating Montclair State 8-6 and falling to Ohio Wesleyan 7-0. Nearly gave up an 8-1 lead to Montclair State allowing 3 in the 7th and 2 in the 8th before senior Ross Pruitt shut the door getting the final out of the 8th and pitching a scoreless 9th for the save. And this was after going 4 for 5 at the plate with a double and an RBI after starting in right field. Sophomore Joe Chiarappa was 2 for 5 in his first start at 2B, Elvin Williams 2 for 4, Ricky Lizcano hit his first HR of the season, freshman Steve Kisan 2 for 4 with a double, and junior Jordan Martin 2 for 5 with a double. Starter Karl Boedecker only went 3+ innings so I believe the win went to junior Teddy Lowe who has 3 of the Berg's 5 victories thus far.

The second game was quite forgettable after a half hour bus ride from one park to another. Sophomore Chris Thomas gave up 12 hits, half of them doubles in 8 1/3 innings and the offense never woke up. No Berg batter managed more than 1 hit and OWU starter faced the minimum through 5 innings thanks to 2 double plays. Varsity plays final game of spring trip vs Rhodes at noon today. Unfortunately I am back in Ohio and not there to watch it.

[motorman]

Berg loses last game of the Florida trip 6-4 to Rhodes. Not nearly as succesful a voyage as last year as they return home 5-5. Berg's 9 hits concentrated among 4 players with 2 hits apiece by soph 2B Joe Chiarappa with a double and triple, Ricky Lizcano 2 singles, soph Arneal Squibb with a single and triple, and freshman Trevor Oldham with a double and single. Junior starter Tyler Fruhwirth went 6 2/3 giving up 6 runs, only 3 earned with 6 Ks and 2 BBs. Next games Friday and 2 on Saturday at Manchester in Indiana.

[old scot]

Mo-man, thanks for updating the Berg. Gramps took care of that the last 4 years. Had to give you +K and get you off the goose egg.

Hopefully they get their 2 top arms back for OAC play. I think the hitting will come around. Its hard to maintain the level of play after losing a great senior class.

[motorman]

Mo-man, thanks for updating the Berg. Gramps took care of that the last 4 years. Had to give you +K and get you off the goose egg.

Hopefully they get their 2 top arms back for OAC play. I think the hitting will come around. Its hard to maintain the level of play after losing a great senior class.

Thanks oldscot,

Gramps was definitely one of the best, taught me everything he knew. That is the hope that they are back for conference games. Don't know what I ever did to get negative karma in the first place, but somebody else got me back to zero. Appreciate you getting me into positive territory. Hopefully the boys get the ship righted after this tough beginning in Florida.

[Dr. Acula]

I got you back to even and I'll give ya another +K.  No idea what would have given you negative karma in the 1st place.  Your posts are usually factual in nature.  It's not like you come on here torching coaches or players!

As for the Berg, they're SO young because of that huge senior class last year.  It appears as though Palm is really just trying to get a feel for what he's got with the young kids.  Shuffling in some different guys.  It seems Kisan is a staple already and playing well.  But I think Pruitt has been the story of the season thus far for them.  Who expected to get that from him offensively?!  Good programs find a way I guess.   

[Dr. Acula]

Mo-man, thanks for updating the Berg. Gramps took care of that the last 4 years. Had to give you +K and get you off the goose egg.

Hopefully they get their 2 top arms back for OAC play. I think the hitting will come around. Its hard to maintain the level of play after losing a great senior class.

Thanks oldscot,

Gramps was definitely one of the best, taught me everything he knew. That is the hope that they are back for conference games. Don't know what I ever did to get negative karma in the first place, but somebody else got me back to zero. Appreciate you getting me into positive territory. Hopefully the boys get the ship righted after this tough beginning in Florida.

I'm sad that Gramps isn't around as much now.  Traded numerous emails with him the past couple of years, talked with him at games a few times.  Just a nice guy that loves watching and talking baseball.  You can never have too many of those guys on the board.

[motorman]

I got you back to even and I'll give ya another +K.  No idea what would have given you negative karma in the 1st place.  Your posts are usually factual in nature.  It's not like you come on here torching coaches or players!

As for the Berg, they're SO young because of that huge senior class last year.  It appears as though Palm is really just trying to get a feel for what he's got with the young kids.  Shuffling in some different guys.  It seems Kisan is a staple already and playing well.  But I think Pruitt has been the story of the season thus far for them.  Who expected to get that from him offensively?!  Good programs find a way I guess.   

Quite right Dr., Kisan has had a few problems, mainly throws from 3B but his offense has been great. Pruitt has been a really pleasant surprise. We were joking he is making a bid for that All American Utility position. He has been making great contact, heard from one of the pitchers he really hated pitching to him live. Rare to see a kid who has been a pitcher only get a chance to play in the field and come through so well. Another surprise has been Teddy Lowe. Doesn't quite have the stuff of big brother Andy but is doing a great job. A great sign of team unity, they coined a phrase for Teddy's success. Instead of Linsanity we are going through Tedsanity at the Berg.

[EttaFan1]

The Pioneers tried to give one away in the eighth and ninth innings to Dennison but held on to win 5-4.  Mahaffey pitched a gem allowing only 2 unearned runs.  Blaski picked up the save. 

Dennison committed 7 errors in the game and 4 of the pioneer runs were unearned. 

[DUBBALL15]

Was listening to it on the radio seemed like an exciting finish.  Hoping our defense plays better on Wednesday to go along with our pitching so it can be just as good as a game as this one was.