Centre shuts out Ohio Northern

The Centre College baseball team shut out Ohio Northern College Saturday, March 10 at Wright Field in Danville, Ky. It went on to score nine runs and improve to 5-2 on the season.

Centre faced Ohio Northern in the first of a three game series Saturday, March 10 and finished with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 11. In the first match up Centre controlled the game, keeping Ohio Northern scoreless while putting up nine impressive runs.

In the bottom of the second, senior Andy Placido (Harrodsburg, Ky.) flied out to get sophomore Jake Jones (Griffin, Ga.) to the home plate for the first run of the game. Junior Ben Jeffers (New Albany, Ohio) then doubled to get junior Kevin McGee (Louisville, Ky.) in. Leading 2-0 the Centre defense refused to give up a run. It was the bottom of the fourth when Centre began to increase its lead. Placido batted home his second runner of the game when he singled and sophomore Brandon Rosen (Ashland, Ky.) reached home. Jeffers singled, also batting in his second runner of the game, sophomore Jeffery Williams (Knoxville, Tenn.). Placido and Jeffers scored when senior Eric Moore (Bowling Green, Ky.) smashed a double to center field to get them home. With a 6-0 lead, Centre relaxed until the bottom of the sixth, when they decided to score two more runs. Moore came up with another big hit when he batted home Jeffers. Jones then sacrificed an out to get Moore his only run of the game. Centre finished scoring in the bottom of the seventh when freshmen Kai Leathers (Franklin, Ky.) doubled to get Williams home.

Junior John Herbert (Louisville, Ky.) earned the win for Centre as he started and pitched eight innings. He allowed only two hits and came away with six strikeouts. He was replaced by Williams who only allowed one hit and had one strikeout.

The Colonel's offense was on point as Jeffers, Moore and Williams all had multiple hit games. Jeffers, Moore and Placido all drove in multiple runners.

The series continued the following day, Sunday, March 11 when Centre faced Ohio Northern in an early day match up. Ohio came into the second game prepared and ready for revenge. In the top of the second freshmen Justin Braund hit a home run for the Polar Bears to take an early lead against the Colonels. They increased their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third when they scored two more runs off big hits. Unlike the previous game, Ohio kept the Centre offense to a minimum, allowing only six hits the whole game. The scoring continued in the top of the sixth when Braund homered again to score two runs. Centre prepared to respond in the bottom of the sixth but fell short after only scoring two runs. Williams sent Rosen home when he singled and scored when he reached home off a balk. Ohio Northern finished scoring in the top of the seventh when it got its final two runs to claim the game 8-2.

Senior Lance Sizmore (Batavia, Ohio) started and pitched the first five innings for Centre. He allowed four runs off nine hits. He was replaced by senior Johnny Karnes (Labanon, Ohio) in the sixth. Karnes allowed four runs off three hits but came away with two strikeouts.

Moore was the only Centre player to post multiple hits in the game.

Ohio started off the scoring the the first inning when it brought two runners in for a quick lead. Centre responded in the bottom when Jones flied out to get Jeffers home. The Colonels were determined to win the final leg of the series and shutout Ohio the rest of the game. They then took the lead in the bottom of the fifth when they scored six runs. Jeffers doubled to get McGee home, and Leathers batted in freshmen Steve Kull (Frankfort, Ky.). Moore then stepped up and sacrificed and out to get Jeffers home. Jones singled to center field to get Leathers in. McGee stepped up to the plate again and batted home the final two runners, senior Kyle Rakes (Ashland, Ky.) and Jones.

Placido pitched an outstanding game as he earned the win. Placido struck seven players out and allowed only two runs off six hits.

Jeffers, Leathers and McGee had multiple hit games. Jones and McGee both batted in two runners.

At the end of the series Centre improves to 6-3 on the season. The Colonels face Maryville at home in a doubleheader rematch Wednesday, March 14 at 4:30 pm.