Bears salvage series finale, rout RedStorm

Rio Grande Sports Information
     CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Host Truett McConnell University spotted the University of Rio Grande a two-run first inning lead before erupting for 13 unanswered runs to post a 13-2 mercy rule-shortened victory over the RedStorm, Sunday afternoon, in non-conference baseball action at the TMU Baseball Complex.
     The win allowed the host Bears to avoid a series sweep after Rio Grande won both games on Saturday.
     After the RedStorm scored twice in their first at bat, Truett McConnell scored five times in the bottom of the first before tacking on two more markers in the fourth inning and three runs in both the fifth and sixth frames.
     Sawyer Bearden had three hits and drove in three runs, while Jacob Karvelas also had three RBI for the Bears.
     Caleb Adair and Caleb Williams both went 2-for-3 and drove in a run in the winning effort, while Matthew Redmond had two hits, including a double, and Qwenton Roach drove in a pair of runs.
     Hank Simonds started and got the win for TMU, allowing six hits and two unearned runs over four innings.
     Junior Daewin Spence (Portsmouth, OH) started for Rio Grande and failed to survive the first inning. He walked three, hit a batter, threw two wild pitches and gave up four runs.
     In all, seven RedStorm pitchers allowed 13 hits, nine walks and hit four batters.
     Freshman Gregory Catano (Santo Domingo, D.R.) had two hits and a run batted in for Rio, while junior Josiah Devapalan (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) and redshirt sophomore Brett Haskins (Evans, WV) had two hits of their own, senior Beiker Fuentes (Crystal Lake, IL) doubled and senior Likeiry Jimenez (Reading, PA) drove in run.
     Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Ky.