UNOH Explodes on Final Day to Win WHAC Regular Season Championship

LIMA, OH - The UNOH bats were hot on the final day of the regular season putting together 24 hits that scored 20 runs to pick up two wins over Cleary. The Racers rode another strong performance from Will Myklebust to a 7-0 win in game one before blasting four home runs in game two en route to a 13-3 win and the outright WHAC Regular Season Championship.

It didn't take long for UNOH to get in front of game one thanks a Devon Tukes RBI triple in the home first. Tukes delivered again in the third with a two-out, RBI double that scored another. The extra-base hits kept coming with an Eliomar Otero RBI double in the fourth that put the Racers up 3-0 after four. The first, and only, crooked number of the game was put up in the home fifth with a single and a double plating one followed by a two-out, two-run home run from Drake Miller to make it a 6-0 game. Two singles and a hit batter produced the final run of the game as the Racers worked around a lead-off double in the seventh to take the win, 7-0.

Darius Freeman led all players going 3-4 at the plate with one RBI and Devon Tukes finished 2-3 with two RBI.

Will Myklebust (7-1) earned his third complete-game shutout of the season scattering just four hits over seven innings while striking out eight and walking three.

It was Cleary who struck first in game two plating all three of their runs in the second. It took until the home fourth for the Racers to get on the board coming from a sac fly by Eliomar Otero. Back-to-back two-out singles loaded the bases and set up Darius Freeman who ripped a no-doubter to right field for his first career grand slam. Now up 5-3, UNOH was just getting started with Drake Miller lifting the ball to left field where it just cleared the fence putting the Racers up 6-3. A walk and three straight singles followed, scoring two, with Tim Hanible hitting a sacrifice fly to cap a four-run inning and give UNOH a 9-3 lead after five. The sixth produced just one hit between the teams but the Cougars threatened in the seventh putting runners on second and third with two outs. Nick Soller entered the game and struck out the only batter he faced in the inning to get out of the jam. A lead-off homer from Eliomar Otero got the offense going for a final time with two singles and two steals putting runners on second and third with one out. Tyler Grigalis stepped to the plate and answered the call pulling a liner to right field that left the stadium and gave UNOH a 13-3 walkoff run-rule win.

Seth Freeman led with a game and season high 3-4 hitting with one RBI. Nolan Hull and Drake Miller were both 2-4 with one RBI each. Eliomar Otero finished 2-3 with two RBI and Tim Hanible went 2-3 with one. Darius Freeman led the team with his four RBI going 2-5 with Tyler Grigalis driving in three. 

Sinjon Bobolia got the start but was forced out early giving up three runs on four hits over an inning and a third with one strikeout. Jeremy Yurcak tossed the final two outs of the second inning giving up two hits with one strikeout. Nick Soller (3-1) put together one of his best outings of the season working four and two-thirds innings scattering four hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Eliott Traver struck out the first and only batter he faced in the seventh.

With the regular season title under their belt, UNOH earns the WHAC's first automatic bid to the NAIA Opening Round tournament May 13-16. Before that, though, UNOH will carry the No. 1 seed into the WHAC Tournament May 1-3. The Racers will host the Lima Pod with No. 4 Lawrence Tech, No. 5 Madonna and No. 8 Lourdes. Game one Wednesday will see UNOH square off against the Gray Wolves at 10:00 AM with the loser to play either Lawrence Tech or Madonna.