Rio Grande, Ohio – Splitting four-game weekend series are starting to become a trend for the Aquinas baseball team. The Saints opened the season with a 2-2 split against Grace College last weekend and settled for another 2-2 split this weekend, Feb. 25-26, on the road at Rio Grande.
The Saints lost the first game and won the second game of both doubleheaders at the Bob Evan's Field.
Aquinas moves to 4-4 overall on the season while Rio Grande now sits at 7-11 overall.
Game 1: Rio Grande 8, Aquinas 3
Angel De La Cruz Fermina had a standout showing for the Red Storm with three hits, including an RBI single to open the scoring in the first inning and a solo home run in the fifth to put Rio Grande up 6-3.
The Red Storm led 5-1 after three innings after runs were scored off an AQ throwing error, an RBI sacrifice fly and a two-run double by Andrew Daria. The Saints' first run was picked up on an RBI sacrifice fly as well.
Aquinas scored twice in the fourth inning to get back within two runs at 5-3.
Nathan Wilcox and
Dane Smitz each had RBI singles.
After the home run by De La Cruz in the fifth, Rio Grande tacked on two more runs in the sixth to cap the final score at 8-3.
AQ pitchers
Mason Hill and
Nathan Esch each pitched three innings. Starter Hill was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) on four hits. Esch gave up three earned runs off three hits.
Game 2: Aquinas 5, Rio Grande 1 (8 innings)
Pitching prevailed for seven innings before the Saints uncorked a four-run inning in the eighth inning to get back in the win column.
The Red Storm scored first in the third inning, before
Grant Martin responded with an RBI groundout in the following frame.
AQ starting pitcher
Garrett Cheslek went six strong inning allowing the one run and only four hits.
Nathan Myers stepped in for the final two innings and allowed just one hit to pick up his first win of the season.
The Saints scored their four runs in the eighth inning off another Martin RBI single, an error in the infield and a two-run single by
Nicolas Verdugo.
Aquinas scored its five runs of five hits and left 14 runners on base.
Game 3: Rio Grande 6, Aquinas 4
A pair of Red Storm home runs by AJ Thomas and Daniel Rutherford gave Rio Grande a 4-0 lead through the first four innings. Three more runs were scored in the fifth innings — two for the Red Storm and one for AQ on an RBI sacrifice fly by Wilcox.
The Saints made a late push in the sixth inning. Martin doubled to right center to bring in
Mark Binkowski and then scored later in the inning on a passed ball. Wilcox added an RBI double to left center to cut the deficit down to two, 6-4.
Martin, who started the game on the mound, and Wilcox both picked up two hits in the contest.
Aquinas went down in order to end the game in the top of the seventh.
The Saints scored their four runs on six hits.
Game 4: Aquinas 9, Rio Grande 8
Both offenses ignited in the final game of the two-day series. Rio Grande scored two runs in the first three inning to build up a 6-3 lead. AQ answered with a four-run sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead. The Red Storm countered with two runs in the bottom half to regain a 8-7 lead.
Down to their final out in the seventh inning, the Saints had two batters reach base on errors to set the stage for
Luke Lacross. The sophomore third baseman delivered with a two-run single to left field to lift Aquinas to a 9-8 victory.
Lacross was the only Saint to record multiple hits as AQ scored its nine runs on just six hits, while also being helped out with six walks and five Red Storm errors.
Aquinas used four different pitchers, rotating from starter
Kyle Teachworth to
Ethan Pequette to
Evan Douglass to Myers. Douglass picked up the win despite giving up the two runs in the sixth inning. Myers left two runners on base in the seven inning to pick up his first save of the season.
The Saints head to Florida next for the Russ Matt Invitational. Aquinas is scheduled to play eight games in six days from March 9-14.
