BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University baseball team welcomed the Judson University Eagles to Watson Field for a Monday afternoon doubleheader. The Tigers handled the Eagles, 12-1, in game one and took care of business in game two, 10-4. 

Game One: Olivet Nazarene 12, Judson 1

The Tigers turned to Aren Gustafson in game one of the doubleheader and he did not disappoint.  Gustafson worked six innings and only allowed one run on five hits and struck out nine batters.  With those nine strikeouts, Gustafson tied Bob Drake for third all-time with 324 career strikeouts.  Michael Freitas and Noah Harder finished the game in the seventh for the Tigers. 

After the two teams played a quiet first inning of play, the Tigers jumped ahead in the second inning.  After Jacob Bulthuis and Gunnar Pullins both got on with singles, Garret Mooney laid down a sacrifice bunt and Bulthuis scored.  Later in the inning, during Ryan Russmann's at-bat, Pullins came around and scored on a wild pitch making the score, 2-0. 

The Tigers kept up their scoring ways in the third.  Nolan Louis led off the inning with a solo home run to left field to make the score, 3-0. With one out, Bulthuis singled home Tyler Wheeler, singled earlier in the inning.  Mooney and Rod Lucas each added an RBI hit later in the inning as the Tigers took a 6-0 lead.  The Tigers added to their lead in the fourth.  When the first two runners got on base, Louis tripled to left-center and scored on an error by the shortstop, which made the score, 9-0.  Pullins made the score, 10-0, on an RBI single to close out the inning. 

Judson got on the board in the top of the sixth on a solo home run making the score, 10-1.  The Tigers added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as Kai Hudson scored on a wild pitch and Lucas platted Clay Houchin on an RBI single as the score is 12-1. 

The Tigers lashed out 15 hits as the Tigers won their second straight conference game as they defeated the Judson Eagles, 12-1, in the first game of the day. 

Game Two: Olivet Nazarene 10, Judson 4

The Tigers carried their momentum from game one into the second game as Louis got ONU started in the bottom of the first with an RBI double platting Donovan Yelle.  The Tigers added another run in the second when Alex Ortiz scored on a fielder's choice by Russmann.  The Tigers led 2-0.  ONU ballooned its lead in the third inning.  Wheeler led off with his seventh home run of the season.  After Hudson drew a walk, Bulthuis then doubled to left-center and drove in Hudson.  Pullins then drove in Bulthuis on a sacrifice fly to make the score, 5-0. 

Judson then cracked the scoring column in the fourth inning striking for, four runs, closing the gap to 5-4.  The Tigers got one run back in the bottom of the inning when Louis crossed home plate on a wild pitch.  The Tigers led, 6-4.  The Tigers kept up their scoring ways in the next inning when Ortiz, Robert Jackman, and Yelle all ripped RBI singles.  The Tigers extended their lead to 9-4.  ONU added another run in the sixth and made the score, 10-4. 

Matthew Nolin made his first career start on the mound for the Tigers and went four innings, while the bullpen went the rest of the way as the Tigers swept the doubleheader earning a 10-4 win.  Thomas Burns earned the win for the Tigers as he worked three innings.  Jonathan Simpson and Griffin Sahli finished the game for the purple and gold.   

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers conclude their homestand hosting the Trolls of Trinity Christian College on Friday, March 25th.  The first pitch of this single nine-inning game is set for 2 p.m.

--ONU—

*Contact: Sam Viebrock, Sports Information Director, stviebrock@olivet.edu