CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio – Roosevelt rallied in its final at-bats in both games of a doubleheader to finish off a sweep of Ohio Christian and Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday.
The Lakers (7-11) scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to hold off Ohio Christian 5-4 in the first game of the day. They then came back from a 6-0 deficit with three runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh for an 8-7 win in extra innings. The six-run deficit was the largest Roosevelt has overcome to win in nearly four years – the Lakers beat Trinity International in April 2022 after trailing 8-2.
ROOSEVELT 5, OHIO CHRISTIAN 4
It was not the prettiest game for either side with both teams making five errors in the field on a dreary day. Ohio Christian struck first in the bottom of the first, but Roosevelt responded in the second on Harrison Kowalski's sacrifice fly that plated designated hitter Andrew Lucas. The Lakers designated hitter went 2 for 2 with a pair of runs scored while reaching base in all four plate appearances.
Roosevelt put some pressure on Ohio Christian on the base paths in the third inning with Maxwell Bowers stealing second and third after lining a single into right field. Ian Bagaconza walked between the two steals, and swiped second himself. However, the Trailblazers catcher overthrew his fielder on the attempted steal, allowing Bowers to come around to score.
Lucas led off the fourth with a single then stole second before advancing to third on a ground out. That brought Kowalski back to the plate and he hit a squib shot off the end of his bat that gave the pitcher issues and allowed Lucas to score.
Anthony Sorrentino was looking strong in his first five innings of work, but his defense let him down in the sixth while defending a 3-2 lead. A pair of errors behind the starter prevented him from recording outs and Ohio Christian scored twice unearned to take a 4-3 lead.
However, the Lakers had more fight in them with Chalk reaching on an error and Bowers being hit by a pitch. A failed pickoff play allowed both to scoot up 90 feet then a wild pitch allowed Chalk to tie the game. Tyler Ruete eventually delivered the game-winning RBI with a single into left field.
Austin Zernia navigated out of the sixth inning for Roosevelt and earned the victory. Jace Dominic then stranded a leadoff walk from Zernia on third to earn his first save of the year.
ROOSEVELT 8, OHIO WESLEYAN 7
The bullpen combined to allow just two runs in 5.1 innings of relief to help the Lakers mount their comeback. Roosevelt had just two hits in the first five innings as the Battling Bishops jumped out to a 6-0 lead entering the bottom of the sixth. Ohio Wesleyan had seven hits in the third and fourth innings combined and left the bases loaded in both innings as well.
Chalk led off the sixth by reaching on an error and advanced to second on the play as well. Bowers sent a long fly ball to center field that allowed Chalk to tag up and move to third. Bagaconza put the Lakers on the board with a double to score Chalk then Alejandro Munoz drove home Bagaconza with a single. Jack Hoh cut the deficit further with a single to left field that plated Munoz.
The comeback was completed in the seventh with three runs on just one Roosevelt hit. Pinch-hitter Adam Klaybor began the inning by drawing a walk then Chalk was hit by a pitch and Bowers walked. Bagaconza drove in two runs with a single into right field and Munoz tied the game on a grounder to the second baseman that scored Bowers.
Ohio Wesleyan reclaimed the lead in the eighth off Sam Skirvin with a two-out single that scored the runner placed at second base for extra innings. Quinn O'Bryan moved over the Lakers' runner in the bottom of the frame and Kyle Jannenga hit the tying sacrifice fly. Roosevelt was able to erase the courtesy runner in the ninth inning on a grounder to O'Bryan then Ruete drove home the winning run on a sacrifice fly after Bagaconza was intentionally walked and Munoz was hit by a pitch.
UP NEXT: Roosevelt begins Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action on Friday against reigning league champions Davenport at 2 p.m. in Caledonia, Michigan.
