OTTAWA, Kan. – The Ottawa University baseball team took both games of a double header against Bethany College on Friday afternoon at Alumni Park. The Braves had an offensive explosion, scoring a total of 33 runs and tallying 31 hits in the two wins over the Swedes. OU won game one, 21-1, and took game two, 12-1.
Game One
Cole Broughton led off Ottawa's bottom half of the first inning with a home run to left and Ottawa had a 1-0 lead.
Jonah Weisner walked and advanced to second with an infield single by
Lukas Rich.
Gabe Eckstaine singled to center, scoring Weisner and Ottawa led 2-0.
Nicholas Sizemore was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for the Braves.
Liam Vulcano walked, scoring Rich and OU had a 3-0 lead.
In the second inning, Ottawa scored six runs on seven hits to take a 9-0 lead. The Braves pushed two runs across home plate in the bottom of the third to extend its lead.
Pedro Astacio was hit by a pitch. Rich hit a home run to right-center and the Braves had an 11-0 lead.
The Braves continued to score the runs, with seven in the bottom of the fourth and three in the bottom of the fifth to take a 21-0 lead. Bethany scored one run in the top of the sixth but that would be it as OU took the 21-1 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Lukas Rich went 3-for-3 at the plate and Cole Broughton finished with three hits in four at bats.
- Rich and Jonah Weisner had four RBI apiece.
- Tyler Bryant, in his first start since April 1, pitched six innings to get his seventh win of the season. He struck out nine and only allowed three hits.
- Brad Grant made his first pitching appearance of the season, pitching the seventh for OU.
Game Two
Ottawa took the lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Cole Broughton walked.
Zachary Spradlin reached base on an error by the Bethany pitcher. The error moved Broughton to third and Spradlin to second.
Jonah Weisner hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Broughton to give Ottawa the 1-0 lead.
Pedro Astacio singled to left, scoring Spradlin and Ottawa had a 2-0 lead.
Like in game one, Ottawa scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning. The Braves used four hits to take an 8-0 lead over the Swedes. Bethany cut the Brave lead to 8-1 with a run in the top of the third.
Ottawa got that run back in the bottom of the fourth.
Gabe Eckstaine walked, and
Nicholas Sizemore reached first on a throwing error by the Swede pitcher. Eckstaine was able to score on the error, giving the Braves a 9-1 lead.
The Braves scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Spradlin walked and then swiped second. Astacio doubled to right, scoring Spradlin and Ottawa had a 10-1 lead.
Brandon Kelley's single to left scored Astacio, increasing the OU lead to 11-1. Eckstaine then doubled to right, scoring Kelley and the Braves took the lead and the game, 12-1.
Inside the Box Score
Who is Next
Ottawa (35-14, 23-9) finishes its series with Bethany College on Saturday, April 29 at Alumni Park. First pitch of the final game of the regular season is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m.
