IUN News
Thu, Apr 15, 2010 - [Baseball]
(Valparaiso, IN) The young RedHawks came to Valparaiso to face their first Division I opponent of the season when they faced the Crusaders at Emory G. Bauer Field. Although they lost, they played hard and they competed.
 
Steve Scoby paced the Crusaders with three hits, including two home runs and seven RBI to hand the Hawks a 17-1 defeat.
 
Valparaiso got all of the runs they needed in the bottom of the first inning off of starting pitcher Jimmy Flores when Scoby started the onslaught with a double to right center field. Damon McCormick singled up the middle to drive in Scoby. Justin Frane came up next and lined a single to center field and advanced to second on the throw.
With runners at second and third, Kyle Gaedele flied out to left to score McCormick. Robbie Robinson reached on an error by RedHawk shortstop Jon Cardenas allowing Frane to score. Karch Kowalczyk walked and Corey Thibault walked to load the bases. Billy Cribbs then smashed a two-run single and before you could blink it was 5-0. Andrew Bain then lined a single to center scoring Thibault and turning the lineup over. Leadoff hitter then launched his first homer of the game deep into the right field sunlight to close the first inning scoring.  
The Hawks tried to put a rally together in the second when Jeremy Ratajczyk walked and Jon Cardenas singled to begin the frame. After a flyout by Jesse Tomich, Ethan Arvay singled to center to load the bases with one out. Unfortunately, the Hawks couldn't get the big hit as Chris Samano struck out swinging and Jamar Averyhart flied out to deep center field to close the frame.
 
Valparaiso went back to work in the bottom of the second as Robbit Robinson and Karch Kowalczyk both singled to left to start the inning. After a fielder's choice to allow Corey Thibault to reach. Billy Cribbs picked up his third RBI with a single to left field scoring Kowalczyk. Andy Bain flied out to left for the second out of the inning, but Steve Scoby belted his second home run of the game to right field.
 
After a single run in the third, Valpraiso scored again in the fourth inning. Billy Cribbs doubled to left fieldoff of relief pitcher Demetrios Pitsas. After a walk to Andrew Bain and a dropped foul ball for an error, Steve Scoby singled through the right side to score Cribbs. Damon McCormick then lined a single to left field to score Bainand then Kyle Gadele tripled to left-center to score Scoby.
 
Christian Jefferson came on in relief and pitched two scoreless innings for the RedHawks allowing only one hit and striking out two.
 
The Hawks got their run in the seventh inning off of Valpo pitcher Greg Stiller as Jamar Averyhart walked to begin the inning. Ryan Halbe also walked. Corey Scott grounded to the pitcher to advance the runners. Alex Ramirez grounded to second to score Averyhart and close the scoring for the game.
 
In his first collegiate start, Will Hagel picked up the win by pitching four innings of shutout ball. Hawks pitcher Jimmy Flores dropped to 0-5 on the season. Flores allowed 14 runs (13 earned) in three innings of work.
 
The RedHawks travel to Goshen, Indiana to take on the Goshen College Maple Leafs in a three-game series beginning on Friday aternoon at 3pm CDT.
   
Story by:

Brain Snow