Portsmouth, OH – The bears were able to stay warm in the cold weather Friday afternoon as they would win their first two home games of the 2019 season.
Game One:
Score: SSU: 4 IU South Bend 2
Ryan Lambert (FR. Greenup, KY) would get the start in the bears home opener Friday afternoon against the Indiana University South-Bend Titans. Ryan Lambert would go onto to throw his second complete game in a row giving up two runs on eight hits to go along with ten strikeouts as he would lead the Bears to their first win at the Branch in the 2019 season.
The Bears got the bats going early on Friday as Dalton Phillips (SR. Hastings, MI.) would get the bottom half of the second inning started with a single. Later in the inning Alex Medina (SR. Miami, FL) would get hit by a pitch only to be pinch ran for by Tony Nichols (SR. Fargo, ND) and bringing up Blake Marshall (SR. Lexington, KY). Blake Marshall would then single up the middle scoring Dalton Phillips to give the Bears their first run of the game. The would remain quiet again until the bottom half of the sixth inning. Ben Sellers (JR. Evansville, IN.) would get the inning started with a single up the middle. Alex Medina would follow that up with a base hit of his own advancing Ben Sellers to second base and bringing in the pinch runner Tony Nichols. Blake Marshall would then single to right field scoring Dalton Phillips and bringing up CJ Radcliff (FR. Orlando, FL). CJ Radcliff would follow that up with a single to right of his own scoring Tony Nichols and Blake Marshall for the bears final runs of the game as they would go onto close out the Titans as the Bears would take game one of the series.
Game Two:
Score: SSU 7 IU South-Bend 2
Ben Sellers would get the start on the bump in game two for the Bears Friday evening and not to be out done by Lambert's outing before him Sellers would go to throw a complete game of his own. Ben Sellers would go to give up two runs on just five hits with five strikeouts as well as he would go to lead the Bears to their second win of the afternoon.
The Bears offense remained quiet the first two innings but would come to life in the bottom of the third inning as Blake Marshall would come up to get the inning started with a lead off single. CJ Radcliff would come up next and get a single of his own and turning the lineup over for lead off hitter Christian Helton (SR. Lexington, KY). Christian Helton would reach safely on a nicely executed drag bunt advancing the runners as well and bringing up Danny McGuire (SO. Cleveland, OH). Danny McGuire would deliver for the bears with a sacrifice fly out to center field scoring Blake Marshall and giving the Bears their first run of the game. George Duran (FR. Orlando, FL.) would then follow that up with an RBI single of his own scoring CJ Radcliff and advancing Christian Helton to second base. Dalton Phillips would follow that up with an RBI double scoring Christian Helton from second and advancing George Duran to third base for Ben Sellers. Ben Sellers would reach on a walk bringing up Chase Thurber (SR. Andover, OH.) who would reach on a fielder's choice to score George Duran and advance Dalton Phillips to third base. Alex Medina would stay hot as well as he would come up and deliver with another single up the middle to score
Dalton Phillips and advance Chase Thurber to second for Blake Marshall who would reach on a hit by pitch. CJ Radcliff would then come up and get a bases loaded walk to score Chase Thurber and cap off a 6-run rally for the Bears. The Bears would remain scoreless again until the bottom half of the fifth inning when Chase Thurber and Alex Medina would both get the inning started with walks. CJ Radcliff would then reach on a fielder's choice and would advance Chase Thurber to third base bringing up Christian Helton. Christian Helton would then single to left field to score Chase Thurber from third base to the bears final run of the game as they would go onto defeat the Titans.
The Bears will be back in action Saturday afternoon at Branch Rickey Park as they complete their series against the IU South-Bend Titans, first pitch is set for noon.
