KOKOMO, Ind. – The Olivet Nazarene University baseball team traveled to Championship Field to play Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) foe IU-South Bend on Friday afternoon.  The Tigers blanked the Titans for their fourth shutout of the season winning, 10-0.  In the second game of the day, The Tigers' bats continued to dominate and won 11-3.   

Game One: ONU 10, IUSB 0 F/7

The Tigers sent Ethan Underwood to the mound in first game of the day.  Underwood went the distance in the game and allowed no runs, on two hits, and struck out four batters.   The Tiger right-handed hurler earned his fifth win of the season and dropped his ERA to 1.90. 

The Tigers jumped out in front top of the first inning. Robert Jackman led off the frame with a single and then with one out, Nolan Louis hit a towering home run into left field as the Tigers took an early 2-0 lead.  The Tigers added to their lead in the third inning. With one out, Ryan Russmann reached on a single and advanced to second on a passed ball.  Louis then continued his strong day and drove in Russmann with a single up-the-middle.  After Tyler Wheeler doubled putting runners on second and third, Kai Hudson split the left field gap for a double platting Louis and pinch-runner Rod Lucas.  Later in the inning, Gunnar Pullins then added to the ONU lead on a run-scoring single as the Tigers led the Titans 6-0 lead after three innings.   

After three quiet innings, The Tigers made more noise on the scoreboard in the sixth inning.  After ONU loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the sixth, Jackman singled home Pullins and made the score, 7-0.  Russmann then grounded into a fielder's choice and platted Alex Oritz.  Donovan Yelle also scored on the play on a throwing error by the shortstop.  The Tigers took a 9-0 lead.  The Tigers tacked on another run in the top of the seventh and made the score, 10-0. 

The Tigers used strong pitching and timely hitting as they defeated the Titans of IUSB, 10-0, in game one of today's doubleheader. 

Game Two: ONU 11, IUSB 3

Head Coach Jeff Mullikin handed the ball to Nolan Belschner for game two of today's doubleheader. The Tiger right-handed pitcher went six innings and surrendered one run on seven hits and fanned five batters.  Belscher earned his third win of the season and moved his ERA to 4.50.  Peyton Bovie and Griffin Sahli went the final three innings for the Tigers.     

The Tigers gave Belschner some nice run support as they struck for three runs in the first inning.  With runners on first and third, Louis continued his impressive day at the plate and he hit a deep fly to left field, which dropped in for a double and scored Jackman making the score, 1-0.  Wheeler then smacked his eighth homer of the season, over the left field fence, and the Tigers found themselves up, 3-0.  The Titans then came back and scored their first run of the day in the bottom of the first, which made the score, 3-1.

In the top of the fourth, the Tigers added to their lead. With runners on second and third, Ortiz batted in Kai Hudson an RBI groundout.  Later in the inning, Yelle drove in Pullins on an RBI single as the Tiger lead grew to 5-1. The Tigers added to their lead in the seventh inning.  With one out, Hudson drove in Louis with a single into right center.  Wheeler and Hudson both eventually scored on wild pitches later in the inning and the Tigers extended their lead to 8-1. 

The Tigers added a run on an RBI double by Jackman in the eighth and notched a pair of runs in the ninth as ONU pushed their winning streak to nine straight as they down the Titans in game two, 11-3. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers conclude their series with the Titans at Rex Weade Stadium in South Bend on Saturday, April 2nd.  The first pitch is set for 12 p.m. CST.  Please visit onutigers.com for updated live links.  The Tigers will be the home team in the game tomorrow.

--ONU—

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