BATS HEAT UP AS TIGERS TAKE SERIES AT BETHEL (TN)

McKENZIE, Tenn. – The Olivet Nazarene University baseball team wrapped out 28 hits in taking two-out-of-three games against Bethel (Tenn.) Sunday and Monday at the Kahlden Complex.

ONU opened the series with a come-from-behind 10-7 win Sunday. Bethel returned the favor with a late comeback in a 8-7 Tiger setback in Monday's opener before the Tigers closed out the series with a 5-2 win in the finale.

The Tigers pounded out 13 hits in the series-opening win over the Wildcats, including five in the breakout seventh inning. With one out trailing 7-4, the Tigers quickly loaded the bases behind a Jack Dupuis walk and back-to-back singles from Takumi Kimoto and Aden Aukland. Andy Onnen sparked the scoring a with an RBI single to keep the bases loaded and get ONU to within two.

Evan Pogioli followed up with a sacrifice fly to plate Kimoto and make it a one run game. Masen Beatty drew a walk to reload the bases before Alex Seaton quickly cleared them with a 3 RBI double to put the Tigers in front 9-7.

Pogioli tacked on an insurance run with a solo shot in the top of the ninth, his first home run of the season. Michael Freitas retired the side in the bottom of the frame to tack down the win.

Four Tigers recorded multiple RBIs in the 10-7 win, led by Aukland and Seaton with three apiece and Onnen and Pogioli both bringing home two. Matthew Cousino was credited with the win in relief.

In Monday's opener, the Tigers built a five-run lead but could not hold on as the Wildcats came back to steal the win. The big inning came in the fourth frame, with Dupuis breaking a 1-1 tie with a 2 RBI single before Kimoto launchd a three-run homer over the wall to make it 6-1 ONU.

But Bethel (5-6) battled back, scoring runs in the final four frames and eventually walking it off in the bottom of the seventh to take the win 8-7. Freitas was tagged with the loss.

ONU relied on its pitching to secure the series win, limiting the Wildcats to just two runs on two hits to pick up the 5-2 victory. Nicholas Gniedziejko pitched two innings of one-run ball before passing it over to Jacob Aseltine who was lights out. Aseltine pitched the final five frames, allowing just one run on one hit while striking out seven.

The offense gave him all the runs he would need in the fourth inning, plating four runs on RBI hits from Sam Reczek and Dupuis. Reczek also scored on a double steal in the inning.

The Tigers, now 4-4 on the young season, will play Concordia (Mich.) in Marion, Ill.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu