Baseball opens series with Cincinnati-Clermont with a doubleheader split

(Amelia, OH) - The Rochester Christian baseball team kicked off its spring break trip, traveling down to Cincinnati, Ohio, for a three-game series against Cincinnati-Clermont. The Warriors would split the doubleheader to kick off the series, with Dakota Shafer and Aiden Alspaugh each hitting a three-run homer. RCU moves to 6-6 on the season with the split doubleheader. 

GAME 1: ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 4, CINCINNATI-CLERMONT 3

Matthew Redmond (4-1) was the sole pitcher to take the mound for the Warriors in game 1, pitching a complete game, allowing eight hits with three runs and a pair of strikeouts. 

The Cougars got on board in the bottom of the second on a lead-off home run. The Warriors fought right back with Dakota Shafer staying hot from the plate with a three-home run, scoring Cael Kuzinski (double) and Issander Vega (walk). Cincinnati-Clermont got a run back in the bottom of the third with a double. 

The Warriors got a much-needed insurance run in the fourth inning with Jayden Peterson scoring on a balk as the Cougars once again scored with an RBI single. 

The final three innings saw only five baserunners get left on base, with RCU leaving three of the runners on. 

GAME 2: CINCINNATI-CLERMONT 10, ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 6

Lance Jones was the starter for the Warriors, pitching four innings, allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts. 

The Cougars were once again able to take the early lead in the game with a sacrifice fly to go up 1-0 early on. RCU tied up the game in the second with a Jayden Peterson RBI groundout, which scored Aiden Alspaugh. 

Following a quiet third inning, Aiden Alspaugh would come up to the plate and knock a three-run homer out of the park, scoring Dakota Shafer and Issander Vega, making it 4-1. The Cougars responded with a two-run triple to draw within a run. 

The fifth inning saw RCU move the lead back out to three runs with Nathaniel Crane hitting a double and Dakota Shafer hitting Crane in with a single. The lead would not last long as Cincinnati-Clermont put up five runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 9-6 lead. 

The Warriors threatened at the top of the sixth with a pair of runners on base, but a double play ended the threat. The Cougars extended their lead with a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. RCU once again threatened in the seventh, having the bases loaded with two outs, but would not be able to get a run across the board. 

Matthew Shakotko (0-3) took the loss in the game, getting two outs, while allowing five runs (four earned). Jeffrey Preston closed out the final 1.1 innings with two runs on two hits and a pair of strikeouts. 

UP NEXT

The two teams will close out the three-game series on Monday, March 9, with a single 7-inning game starting at 12 PM.