ELGIN, Ill. – After dropping a four-game series to the defending conference champions over the weekend, the Olivet Nazarene University baseball team bounced back in league play with a doubleheader sweep of Judson Thursday afternoon at Hoffer Field.
The Tigers rallied late for a 5-4 win in the opener before unloading 18 hits to end the game in seven innings in a 17-2 win in the nightcap.
Judson (15-12, 7-3 CCAC), who entered the sitting day atop the CCAC standings, staked an early 3-1 lead through five innings in the first game. But the Tigers clawed their way back into the game thanks to a big inning, plating four runs in the sixth to take the lead for good.
Aden Aukland kicked off the inning with an RBI single and was promptly plated on an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Evan Pogioli to tie the score. Andy Onnen kept the inning alive with a base hit before Masen Beatty put the Tigers in front with a two-RBI single to give ONU a 5-3 advantage.
The Eagles cut the deficit to one in the final inning, but Michael Freitas limited the damage to tack down the save. Jacob Aseltine collected 20 of the 21 outs as the starter, going 6 ⅔ innings and striking out five to pick up the win.
The Tiger bats erupted in Thursday’s finale, matching their season highs with 17 runs on 18 hits. ONU got all the firepower they would need in the first frame, with Aukland and Sam Reczek plating three runs in the top of the first.
Five Tigers recorded multiple hits in the blowout win, highlighted by a big game from Jack Dupuis. The senior shortstop went 5-for-5 at the plate with four RBIs while crossing home plate twice.
Nicholas Gniedziejko went the distance as the ONU starter, allowing just two earned runs and striking out five across seven innings to collect the complete-game win.
ONU will go for the series sweep against the Eagles tomorrow afternoon at Watson Field.
–ONU—
*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu
To read more about ONU Athletics, visit ountigers.com.
