WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (Baseball) – Brandon Reaman (JR/Dayton, Ohio) knocked in six runs in two games, and the Shawnee State baseball team got another strong outing from Derek Moore (JR/Wheelersburg, Ohio), as the Bears went on to take a pair on the road versus the University of the Cumberlands on Friday afternoon at James Keelty Field.
The Bears boasted a potent offense over the doubleheader, collecting a combined 16 hits en route to a 7-2 victory in game one followed by an 11-8 win on the back end of the twinbill.
Game One
It was a balanced effort for the Bears at the dish in the opening contest, as SSU tallied two runs in the first two innings, two more in the seventh and one in the ninth.
Derek Moore was again stellar on the bump, going eight innings, scattering six hits and two unearned runs while striking out seven and walking just one. The junior right-hander earned his fourth victory of the year, moving to 4-1.
The Bears wasted no time in the top of the first inning, as Zachariah Freeman (JR/Richmond, Texas) doubled to lead off the opening frame. Andrew Vanthournout (SO/Bowling Green, Ky.) followed with a bunt single, and Reaman lifted a sac fly to center to make it 1-0. Following a fielder's choice which put Mitchell Lendenski (SR/Loveland, Ohio) aboard and a stolen base, Conner Wilson (SR/San Diego, Calif.) doubled home the second run of the inning.
Shawnee State kept the lightning going in the second inning, as Mike Watson (SO/Niles, Ohio) opened things with a one-out single, and Freeman knocked him in with a double in the next at-bat. Freeman moved to third on a balk and scored when Vanthournout lifted a sacrifice fly to center.
The Patriots took advantage of four hits and an SSU error in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit in half, putting the score at 4-2 – where it would remain until the top of the seventh.
SSU played pile on in the seventh and ninth innings as Reaman blasted a two-run home run in the seventh, and an error by the Patriots chased Austin Hall (SR/Wheelersburg, Ohio) home in the ninth.
Despite a leadoff walk, Brandon Bonar (SR/Chillicothe, Ohio) slammed the door shut in the bottom of the ninth to secure the 7-2 victory.
Game Two
The scoring in game two did not kick off until the second frame in game two, when the Bears got a two-out double from Nick Rose (FR/Olentangy, Ohio). Chase Thurber (FR/Andover, Ohio) reached on an error in the next at-bat, allowing Rose to scamper across the plate.
In the top of the third, SSU added another run with a two-out rally. Vanthournout kicked off the surge with a single and then stole second. Reaman singled to left and the Bears led, 2-0, after two and a half.
Following a one-run bottom of the third for the Patriots, Shawnee State's offense put together the best single inning of the season, plating nine runs on seven hits.
The inning began with back-to-back doubles from Lendenski and Wilson to score one, and a single from Rose to tack on another. Austin Hall kept it going with an RBI single to score Rose, and Freeman knocked in a run two batters later with a single to center.
Vanthournout added an RBI free pass with a walk with the bases loaded in the next at-bat, and Reaman singled to knock in two more. Rose knocked in the eighth run of the inning when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Thurber added a sac fly to cap the scoring, leaving the Bears up 11-1.
Things got a bit hairy over the final four frames, as the Cumberlands plated two runs in the bottom of the fourth, one more in the fifth and added a four-spot in the sixth to cut the deficit down to three.
Mike Watson put the threat to an end, getting the final four outs of the game to earn his first save of the season. Watson struck out a pair, held the Patriots hitless and walked one.
Brady Knittel (SO/West Portsmouth, Ohio) earned his second win of the season, going 4.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits, a walk and a strikeout.
Shawnee State will look for the series sweep over the Cumberlands on Saturday in Williamsburg, with first pitch slated for a noon start.
