SAGINAW, Texas – The Ottawa University baseball team opened KCAC play with a double header sweep of Southwestern College on Saturday afternoon at Saginaw High School. Ottawa won game one 12-11 and took game two, 11-7.
Game One
Southwestern scored three runs in the top of the second and one in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead over the Braves. Ottawa erased the deficit with six runs in the bottom of the third.
Donald Rhyne hit an infield single to short and then stole second.
Julius Ryan walked and OU had runners on first and second.
Dylan Garcia's single to right scored Rhyne and the Braves trailed 4-1.
Cole Broughton doubled to center, scoring Ryan and the Braves were within 4-2. Ottawa took its first lead of the game with back-to-back home runs by
Nicholas Sizemore and
Shaun Gomez, Jr., 6-4.
The Moundbuilders answered with four runs in the top of the fourth, retaking the lead 8-6. Ottawa answered with two runs of their own the bottom of the fourth.
Ryan was hit by a pitch and then moved to second on a fly out to center by Garcia. Broughton reached first on a Moundbuilder miscue and Ryan moved to third. Sizemore's double to left scored both Broughton and Ryan, tying the game at eight apiece.
After a scoreless fifth, Ottawa retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a Garcia home run, 9-8. Ottawa pushed two more runs across home plate in the bottom of the seventh.
Jackson Alaniz singled to center.
Jesus Rodriguez, pinch hitting for Rhyne, hit a home run to left and the Braves had an 11-8 lead.
Southwestern rallied, scoring three runs in the top eighth to tie the game at 11-11. In the bottom of the ninth, Ottawa was able to end the game.
Gomez and
Brian Parry led off the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back walks. After Gomez reached second
Owen Powers entered the game as a pinch runner for the Brave DH. With two outs,
Isaac Vega came into the game as a pinch hitter for Jeremy Freeman. Vega singled to right scoring Powers and the Braves took the game 12-11.
Inside the Box Score
- Dylan Garcia went 4-for-5 at the plate, scored two runs, and driving in two. He hit two doubles and a home run.
- Cameron Sistrunk earned the win, pitching the ninth.
Game Two
Southwestern struck first, scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Ottawa answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first.
Anthony Soria walked and advanced to second on a ground out to third by
Julius Ryan. He then stole third, giving OU a runner 90 feet from home.
Cole Broughton scored Soria with a single to center and the game was tied 1-1.
The Moundbuilders retook the lead with three runs in the top of the second, 4-1. Ottawa earned two of those runs back in the bottom of the second.
Jesus Rodriguez led off the inning with a home run and OU was down 4-2.
Brian Parry walked and the swiped second and third. A bunt single by Soria scored Parry and OU trailed 4-3.
SWC extended its lead in the top of the third inning with one run, 5-3. Ottawa was able to tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the third.
Dylan Garcia walked and moved to second on a wild pitch.
Cole Broughton walked and Garcia was able to move third on a wild pitch, giving OU runners on the corners.
Shaun Gomez, Jr.'s sacrifice bunt scored Garcia and OU was within 5-4.
Jackson Alaniz tripled to left, scoring Broughton and the game was tied 5-5.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Ottawa scored five runs to take its first lead of the game.
Jeremy Freeman, Jr. and Soria led the inning off with back-to-back walks. A sacrifice bunt by
Julius Ryan moved Freeman to third and Soria to second. Freeman scored on a balk and OU led 6-5. A single to center by Garcia scored Soria, giving the Braves a 7-5 lead. Ottawa loaded the bases and Rodriguez hit a double to center, clearing the bases to give the Braves a 10-5 lead.
SWC cut into OU's lead with two runs in the top of the fifth. The Braves were able to get one of those runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Soria doubled to left and then stole third. He was able to score on a wild pitch, increasing the OU lead to 11-7.
Ottawa held Southwestern scoreless in the sixth and seven innings, taking the 11-7 victory.
Inside the Box Score
Who is Next
Ottawa (9-1, 2-0) finishes its series with Southwestern on Sunday, Feb. 16 in Saginaw, Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
