ADA – The East Central University baseball team picked up two wins in a double-header against Southern Nazarene at Ken Turner Field. The Tigers (5-34, 4-25 GAC) won the first game 8-5 and then earned their first shutout since March 10, 2017 at 4-0.
ECU was led by sophomore
Cale Ridling, with a .714 average, five hits, two double a triple, two runs and three RBIs. Junior
Josh Lincoln added a .677 average, two hits, four runs and two RBIs. The duo led the team who hit a .309 average and allowed just a .232 mark by the Crimson Strom (11-27, 7-22 GAC).
Junior
Alec Lemmon earned a complete-game shutout in the seven inning game, allowing just two hits and striking out 11. It was the most strikeouts by a single pitcher in a game for the 2018 season. Junior
Logan Lannon earned the win in the first game, throwing eight innings, allowing nine hits and two runs and striking out two.
The teams will wrap up the Great American Conference series, Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m., weather permitting, at Ken Turner Field. The teams will honor their six seniors before the game:
Trevor Crone,
Bryce Dimitroff,
Kiyaanii Bohan,
Zach Trueblood,
Connor Stevenson and
Joe Cooney.
ECU 8, SNU 5
The Tigers were the first to get on the scoreboard in the opening game of the day, netting two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Dimitroff led off the game with a single and was sent to second when Lincoln earned a sacrifice bunt single. The play continued with an error that allowed Dimitroff to score. The second run was then scored when Ridling doubled to left.
The Crimson Storm cut the deficit in half in the fourth, with a single run. SNU then tied the game at two in the top of the fifth.
ECU didn't waste any time responding, scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning for a 6-2. After the first two outs, Dimitroff started the scoring with a solo home run. Lincoln then walked and scored when Ridling tripled to center field.
Crone then hit an in-the-park home run to score the final two runs on the inning.
The Tigers kept adding to their total with a run in the sixth on a single by freshman
Garrett Oldham, error on a sacrifice bunt by junior
Tag Sparks and a sacrifice fly by freshman
Dillon Mansell.
ECU added one more in the seventh for an 8-2 advantage. Ridling singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a fly out by Crone. Stevenson earned the RBI with a sacrifice fly to center.
The Crimson Storm tried to mount a comeback in the ninth, but were only able to score three runs for the 8-5 final.
ECU 4, SNU 0
The teams held each other scoreless in the first two innings, before the Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Sparks started the inning with a double and was joined on base when Mansell reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Sparks was then able to score on a wild pitch.
Lincoln kept things going with a single that score the second run. Ridling singled advancing Lincoln to third and Crone earned the final RBI with a single.
ECU added their final run in the fifth, for a 4-0 lead. After the first out Lincoln walked and advanced to third on a wild pitch. That allowed Ridling to claim the RBI with a double.
The Tigers kept up the strong defense and didn't allow the Crimson Storm to score and only allowed seven runners to reach base.
In the game, ECU recorded two double plays to only allow to runners to be left on base by SNU for the game.
