Multi-hit performances from Jones, Gaspar, Parnin; collective pitching effort leads Shawnee State baseball to 7-1 win over Miami-Hamilton

HAMILTON, Ohio -- The baseball program at Shawnee State got a combined 6-for-9 outing with three RBI and four runs scored from Eli Jones, Jace Parnin and Zach Gaspar and had six pitchers -- Malik Diack, Evan Hood, Brandon Lehman, James Bodrock, Jacob Wiersma and Trent Tice -- combine to throw a six-hitter as the Bears collected a 7-1 win over Miami-Hamilton in a nonconference matchup that was held Tuesday at Foundation Field in Hamilton, Ohio.

Shawnee State 7, Miami-Hamilton 1

For much of the opening five innings of play, Shawnee State rode the quality pitching outings of Diack and Hood en route to collecting an early 1-0 advantage.

Overall, Diack, a true freshman, and Hood, a true sophomore, combined to face just one batter above the minimum over the first four innings, with Diack striking out three batters including strikeouts to begin and end the bottom of the opening inning as well as a strikeout to commence the bottom of the second frame.

While a two-out triple by Parnin in the second inning, followed by a two-out RBI base knock by Zach Gaspar, proved to be the only salvo in the contest over the opening five frames of work for either side, the Shawnee State batting order began to heat up as the contest reached its latter stages.

Up 1-0 heading into the sixth, a one-out single by Jones and a walk by Wyatt Haupt was later followed by a two-base error that allowed both Jones and Haupt to score, giving Shawnee State a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth frame.

While Miami-Hamilton cut Shawnee State's lead slightly to 3-1 after six frames of work following an RBI groundout, that margin proved to be as close as the Harriers came to the point the rest of the way, as SSU catcher Caeleb McGraw singled to center field. Courtesy runner Nathan Mentzel -- after advancing into scoring position via a Tyler Lund bunt and a Nolan Tressler grounder -- then came home on a two-out RBI single by Jones to give the Bears a three-run lead again, 4-1, after seven innings complete.

Shawnee State then proceeded to put the game away in the eighth inning -- as a one-out walk by Hunter Warner was followed by a bunt single by Parnin and another RBI base knock by Gaspar to push the lead up to a 5-1 margin. Lund then drove Parnin and Gaspar home to finalize the winning margin -- as the senior's roped two-RBI double set the six-run cushion that ultimately was the final score.

For the contest, Jones (2-for-3, two walks, RBI, run scored), Parnin (2-for-3, triple, walk, two runs scored) and Gaspar (2-for-3, walk, two RBI, run scored) led the Shawnee State offense, while Lund's seventh inning double resulted in two RBI to complete those who reached via a hit in the contest.

Additional

Shawnee State (19-14) is scheduled to return to River States Conference action this weekend with a three-game set against Indiana-Columbus Friday and Saturday in Columbus, Ind. Game times are set for a single contest at 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with Saturday's action being a doubleheader.