Box Score MCPHERSON, Kan. – The Ottawa University baseball team rallied from 10 runs down to take a 14-13 victory over McPherson College on Tuesday afternoon at Bulldog Park.
Jeremy Freeman, Jr.'s grand slam in the eighth inning is the 17
th in program history and the first by a Brave since March 20, 2022.
McPherson score eight runs in the bottom of the second, one in the bottom of the third and one in the bottom of the fourth to take a 10-0 lead over the Braves.
Ottawa cut into the deficit in the top of the fifth. Freeman singled to right and then stole second.
Anthony Soria moved Freeman to third with a fly out to right.
Tyler Farnham scored Freeman with single to right and the Braves trailed, 10-1. Farnham stole second and then scored on a single to center by
Johnny Vulcano and the Braves were within, 10-2.
In the top of the sixth Ottawa pushed another run across home plate.
Blaine Thomas hit an infield single.
Nicholas Sizemore doubled to right field, scoring Thomas and OU was down 10-3. In the bottom of the sixth, McPherson extended its lead to 13-3.
The Braves scored four more runs in the top of the seventh. Vulcano led off the inning with a home run.
Dylan Garcia followed that with a double to right field.
Jackson Alaniz was hit by a pitch and Thomas walked, loading the bases for the Braves. After a Bulldog pitching change, Sizemore put the ball in play and scored Garcia to put OU within 13-5. A passed ball scored Alaniz and moved Sizemore to second, cutting the deficit to 13-6. Sizemore then scored on a wild pitch and the Braves were down 13-7.
Ottawa continued to cut into the McPherson lead, scoring four runs in the top of the eighth. The Braves loaded the bases. Freeman hit a grand slam, and OU was down 13-11.
In the top of the ninth, Ottawa was able to take its first lead of the game. Garcia singled to right, bringing in
Jaquavius Davis as a pinch runner. A balk moved Davis to second. Thomas walked and Sizemore was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Freeman hit a single, scoring Thomas and Davis. Sizemore was able to score on an error by the MC center fielder, giving the Braves a 14-13 lead.
McPherson had its lead off reach base on a single in the bottom of the ninth. Cameron Sistruck got the 6-4-3 double play. He then struck out the next batter and OU took the 14-13 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Jeremy Freeman, Jr. had four hits in five at bats, drove in six runs, and scored two runs. He is the first Brave to drive in six RBI since Elliott Antonetty drove in six runs against Hastings College on Feb. 9, 2020.
- Dylan Garcia went 3-for-5 at that plate and scored two runs.
- Devin Holmes earned the win, striking out two in two innings.
- Cameron Sistrunk tallied the save, striking out one.
Who is Next
Ottawa (14-10, 8-5) returns to the diamond with a three game series against the University of Saint Mary on Saturday, March 16 in Leavenworth, Kan. Game one of the double header is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
