SSU BB blows open tight contest to win over Brescia (Ky.), 16-5; picks up seventh straight win

OWENSBORO, Ky. -- To say that the Shawnee State baseball program is on a tear offensively would be an understatement.

For the seventh consecutive game, Rob Ehlers' group emerged on the right side of the scoreboard as the Bears blew open a 4-4 tie after four innings of work by posting 12 runs on nine hits in the final three innings of play to claim a 16-5 mercy rule victory in its River States Conference opener against Brescia (Ky.) Saturday evening at Chautauqua Park in Owensboro, Ky.

Shawnee State, who posted its 16 runs over 15 hits during the contest, posted its sixth consecutive game of 10 runs or more -- and have nabbed at least 13 hits or more in four of those six affairs.

In its seven-game winning streak overall, the Bears have outscored their opposition 84-22 -- averaging out to 12 runs offensively per game compared to just over three runs per game for the Shawnee State baseball program's opponents during the tear.

Game Summary

After starting off the opening half of the first inning with two early salvos -- behind a hit batter, a one-out double by Diego Mendoza and a two-RBI double to right center field by Mason Reid to give Shawnee State a 2-0 advantage, Brescia answered as the Bearcats' Griffin Taylor went deep with a three-run homer that gave the homestanders a 3-2 lead after the opening inning of action.

Both teams then struck again in the fourth inning -- as after a one-out single by Hunter Warner and a passed ball, the Bears struck as an RBI single to right by Ryan Scott and an RBI double to left by Tyler Lund, each with two out in the inning, put Shawnee State in front by a 4-3 margin heading into the bottom of the fourth frame before Brescia's Michael Ascencio tied the score at four apiece with an RBI single, scoring Artem Logvinov after Logvinov's single and a double by Chase Christie put the Bearcats in a position to knot the score.

However, Shawnee State starting pitcher Ethan Ison limited the damage in the fourth inning -- and from there on in, the Bears then proceeded to control matters.

With a pair of walks by Mendoza and Jace Parnin putting Shawnee State in a position to do damage, Warner added in an RBI single to right to score Parnin and give the Bears a 5-4 lead after the fifth frame of action.

Shawnee State then completely flipped the table in the sixth and seventh innings of Brescia -- as seven consecutive batters reached in the sixth, with a walk by Lund being followed by a double by Nolan Tressler and an error on the same play allowing Lund to score from first base. Then, after a walk by Parnin, Mendoza's RBI double down the left field line then set the table for Mason Reid -- who cleared the bags with a three-run homer that turned the 5-4 contest into a commanding 10-4 Shawnee State lead after six innings of work.

In the seventh inning of work, Tressler doubled for the second consecutive inning to get another crooked frame started, and Parnin tripled behind Tressler to bring the former in. A throwing error then scored Parnin, and a single by Reid, along with walks by Warner and Wyatt Haupt led to another run.

From there, a sacrifice fly RBI by Zach Gaspar, an RBI single by Scott, and a bases loaded walk by Tressler allowed Shawnee State to top its five-run sixth with a six-run seventh -- capping the scoring for Shawnee State.

For the contest, Reid (3-for-5, home run, double, five RBI, two runs scored), Mendoza (3-for-4, three doubles, walk, RBI, run scored), Warner (2-for-3, two walks, two RBI, two runs scored), Tressler (2-for-4, two doubles, walk, RBI, three runs scored) and Scott (2-for-5, two RBI, run scored) all joined the multi-hit club Saturday, while Parnin (1-for-4, triple, two walks, RBI, three runs scored), Lund (1-for-3, double, walk, RBI, run scored) and Haupt (1-for-4, walk, run scored) completed the hitting brigade for Shawnee State.

Jakobe Reese, who threw three innings without surrending an earned run or allowing a hit, was rock-solid in relief, needing only 28 pitches to complete the 11-run victory. Reese threw 21 of his 28 pitches for strikes and only had one run cross the plate in his three innings on the bump, which came via a throwing error in the seventh and final frame. The senior faced the minimum in the fifth and sixth frames of action.

Shawnee State (10-4, 1-0 River States Conference) will be back in action against Brescia (6-2, 0-1 River States Conference) Sunday afternoon in doubleheader action. The contests are scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Chautauqua Park in Owensboro, Ky.