LANCASTER, Ohio – Roosevelt's offense came alive Friday afternoon in a sweep of a pair of matchups in Ohio.
The Lakers (5-11) smashed 12 hits, including three home runs, to take down Ohio Wesleyan 9-8 in the first game of the day. They returned quickly to bash 14 hits and two more jacks in a 12-7 win over Ohio Christian. In total, Roosevelt recorded 14 extra-base hits among its 26 total hits on the day.
ROOSEVELT 9, OHIO WESLEYAN 8
Maxwell Bowers' second home run of the game in the sixth inning gave Roosevelt the lift to edge past Ohio Wesleyan. The Battling Bishops took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Lakers wasted no time reclaiming the lead. CJ Chalk hit a double into center field to lead off then Bowers hammered the first pitch he saw for a two-run homer.
The long ball got the Lakers started in the game as Ian Bagaconza hit a two-out solo shot in the first inning to put Roosevelt on top. Ohio Wesleyan struck for two in the bottom of the second and Quinn O'Bryan got the party started in the third with a double. Chalk worked a four-pitch walk then immediately stole second, but the throw to try and catch him skipped away, allowing Chalk to take third and O'Bryan to score.
Bowers was at the plate when the chaos occurred, and finished the at-bat with his first two-run homer of the day. The Lakers were not done after taking the 4-2 lead as Bagaconza smacked a double into left field then scored on Jack Hoh's single.
O'Bryan and Andrew Lucas hit consecutive doubles to start the fourth inning, with Lucas' drive enough to score O'Bryan. Another walk for Chalk and a single from Bowers loaded the bases for an RBI fielder's choice from Alejandro Munoz. Bowers finished the game 3 for 4 with four RBI and two runs scored while O'Bryan went 2 for 4 with a pair of runs scored.
Jace Dominic threw 2.1 innings of scoreless ball to earn his first win of the season scattering two hits and a walk among the eight batters he faced. After escaping the fifth inning, Dominic allowed just a leadoff single in the sixth that was erased trying to steal second. He then induced a game-ending double play in the seventh after issuing his walk.
ROOSEVELT 12, OHIO CHRISTIAN 7
Tyler Ruete one-upped Bowers in the second game of the day, going 3 for 5 with five RBI and three runs scored to power the Lakers. It began in the first inning when Ruete's single scored Bagaconza as part of a five-run opening frame. He added an RBI fielder's choice in the second, a solo homer in the fourth and a two-run blast in the sixth to his credentials as well.
Chalk led off the game with a double, but was caught stealing before Bowers was hit by a pitch. Bagaconza walked then both he and Bowers stole a base to put themselves in scoring position for Munoz. His RBI groundout was followed by five straight hits, four of which produced runs for Roosevelt. After Ruete's single, Christian Degroot made it 3-0, O'Bryan restocked the bases then Kyle Jannenga and Lucas both plated runs.
Bagaconza started the second frame with a single then moved up on Munoz's double that set the table for the RBI fielder's choice from Ruete. After Ohio Christian pulled to within 6-4, Ruete sent a solo blast to center field to give the Lakers some breathing room. When the Trailblazers again clawed to within two in the fifth, Ruete followed a Munoz single with a second homer to center to make it 9-5.
Ohio Christian gifted Roosevelt three runs in the seventh inning to further cement the Lakers' victory. Jannenga reached on an error, stole second base then took third on a wild pitch to set the stage for Chalk's triple. Bowers and Bagaconza both walked to load the bases, and a throwing error allowed Bowers to score along with Chalk on what could have been an inning-ending double play.
UP NEXT: The Lakers will face the same two teams Saturday in a doubleheader before coming home to prepare for the start of conference play.
