New Albany, IN – In what the River States Conference announced as the series of the week, the Oakland City University baseball team battled against the #10 ranked Indiana University Southeast Grenadiers. Knowing a sweep would clinch the regular season River States Conference championships, the Oaks were hungry and competed all weekend.
Game 1
Oakland City saw the Grenadiers take an early 0-1 lead when a double and an error, followed by a sacrifice fly allowed IU Southeast to score in the bottom of the first. It took a while for both teams to score again. The Mighty Oaks took the lead in the top of the second.
Dicky Gonzalez started them off with a single, he scored on an RBI triple from
Kendric Sorgius.
Marcos Arocho drove in Sorgius with a single to make it a 2-1 game. A bases loaded walk allowed the Grenadiers to tie the game back up in the bottom of the sixth. Oakland City answered right away, as in the top of the seventh, singles from
Fred Fernandez,
Keifer Wilson and
Dicky Gonzalez made it 3-2.
An inning later, the Oaks would put up a seven spot to make it a 10-2 ballgame.
Xander Willis got hit by a pitch,
Moises Rosario reached base on a bunt single and a sacrifice bunt attempt from
Josh Russell resulted in an error to load the bases.
Fred Fernandez singled to drive in a run, on a wild pitch the 5-2 scored. A bases loaded walk for
Dicky Gonzalez made it 6-2.
Kendric Sorgius followed with a bases clearing triple, driving in three runs. He later scored on a groundout from
Marcos Arocho to put Oakland City up 10-2. An RBI double from
Hudson Allen in the top of the ninth allowed
Josh Russell to score, this made the final score 11-2.
Mick Uebelhor and
Chase Rubenacker split the pitching duties for the Mighty Oaks. Uebelhor went 5.2 innings in which he gave up five hits and two runs (one earned), he walked three and struck out eight. The win went to Rubenacker who finished the game, pitching 3.1 innings with two hits and no runs allowed. He walked one and struck out one.
Game 2
The series continued on Friday and Oakland City took an early lead in this one. Thanks to a walk for
Xander Willis and an RBI double from
Moises Rosario, the Oaks were up 1-0 after one inning of play. In the top of the third, Oakland City added five more runs to their lead.
Josh Russell started the offensive outburst with a double, singles from
Fred Fernandez,
Hudson Allen and
Keifer Wilson followed. A sacrifice fly from
Dicky Gonzalez made it 4-0 before
Kendric Sorgius belted a 2-run shot over the right field fence. The Grenadiers would score one in the bottom of the third, making it 6-1. Two innings later the home team rallied their way back into the game. IU Southeast scored four runs to make it 6-5.
Kendric Sorgius doubled to lead off the top of the sixth, a single from
Marcos Arocho and a sacrifice fly from
Xander Willis put the Oaks up 7-5.
Some insurance runs were added in the top of the eighth inning.
Marcos Arocho drove in
Dicky Gonzalez with a double, Arocho scored on a single from
Xander Willis.
Josh Russell singled as well, allowing Willis to score. A hit by pitch and two walks also brought home Russell. The Grenadiers scored one in the bottom of the eighth, to make it 11-6. A 2-RBI single from
Fred Fernandez scored Willis and Arocho to make it 13-6 which ended up being the final score.
Five pitchers toed the rubber for the Mighty Oaks.
Gehrig Tenhumberg (4 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) started the game, his relievers were
Weston Allen (0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO),
Landen Ray (W, 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO),
Owen Spears (3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO) and
Dicky Gonzalez (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO).
Game 3
The third game of the series started rough for the Mighty Oaks. It took a while for the offense to get going and meanwhile the Grenadiers scored five runs in the first four innings. In the top of the fifth, Oakland City got their offense going.
Hudson Allen,
Keifer Wilson,
Dicky Gonzalez,
Marcos Arocho,
Xander Willis (double) and
Moises Rosario all collected hits in the 5-run rally. After five innings, the score was tied at five.
Keifer Wilson homered to center field in the top of the sixth to give the Mighty Oaks a 6-5 lead. That lead vanished in the bottom of the seventh, as the Grenadiers tied the game, resulting in extra innings. Oakland City put up six runs in the top of the eighth inning.
Hudson Allen,
Keifer Wilson and
Dicky Gonzalez all singled to give the Mighty Oaks a 7-6 lead. A walk for
Marcos Arocho loaded the bases.
Xander Willis also walked to bring home a run.
Leyton Ivers followed with an infield single, driving in a run. A 2-RBI single from
Josh Russell followed. Ivers scored on a wild pitch to make it 12-6, this ended up being the final score.
Benjamen Simmons (3.2 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) was the starting pitcher for the Mighty Oaks.
Luis Pezzotti came in in the fourth and pitched 1.1 innings of no-hit baseball. The win went to
Dicky Gonzalez, the Puerto Rican two-way hurled three innings, gave up three hits and one run (earned) while walking two and striking out one.
With this sweep over the #10 Grenadiers, the Mighty Oaks have clinched the 2025 River States Conference Regular Season Championship!
Oakland City is now 18-2 in conference play and they have three RSC games left. They will face Indiana University Columbus next weekend. Before that, Georgetown College will come to town on Tuesday for a doubleheader.
