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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Brandon Ferdinando came up big with four innings of scoreless relief in the second game. 
Sean Finucane
Brandon Ferdinando came up big with four innings of scoreless relief in the second game. 
8
Heidelberg HEID 18-6, 6-1 OAC
10
Winner John Carroll JCU 9-14, 3-4 OAC
Heidelberg HEID
18-6, 6-1 OAC
8
Final
10
John Carroll JCU
9-14, 3-4 OAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Heidelberg HEID 0 0 0 3 1 0 1 0 3 8 10 4
John Carroll JCU 0 0 3 1 2 1 0 3 X 10 11 0

W: Higley, Jamon (2-1) L: Dylan Matusak (1-1) S: Simon, Roger (2)

4
Heidelberg HEID 18-7, 6-2 OAC
5
Winner John Carroll JCU 10-14, 4-4 OAC
Heidelberg HEID
18-7, 6-2 OAC
4
Final
5
John Carroll JCU
10-14, 4-4 OAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Heidelberg HEID 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 1
John Carroll JCU 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 X 5 9 1

W: Ferdinando, Brandon (2-1) L: Logan Franz (1-2)

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Ohio Northern University

4/13/2024 | 1:00 PM

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Apr. 13 (Sat) / 1:00 PM
 Ohio Northern University
History

Game Recap: Baseball | | JCUSID

Blue Streaks Power Past Heidelberg in Critical Home OAC Sweep

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – Today marked a turning point in the season for John Carroll Baseball.

The Blue Streaks entered with a modest 3-game winning streak, but a 2-4 record in Ohio Athletic Conference play. And who happened to come to town? The red-hot Heidelberg Student Princes, the top dawg in the conference with a 6-0 record. 

As the dust settled after a long day of baseball at Schweickert Field, the Blue Streaks had unseated the kings, sweeping the Student Princes by scores of 10-8 and 5-4.

The difference in the narrow victories? A trio of 3-run innings, phenomenal efforts by arms in the bullpen, and outstanding glovework in the field. 

Game 1 
The first couple innings of the opener were quiet, as Jamon Higley set down the first three batters in order, garnered a lineout doubleplay in the second, and got three straight in the third. The JCU bats came alive in the bottom of the third.

Logan LaMere singled and George Haracz walked before Erik Daugenti got two runners in scoring position with a sac fly, and the following at bat, Bryce Holt took advantage in a big way. Holt ripped a massive drive into right field for a three-run bomb, hitting the scoreboard on its way out of the field. 

The Berg were not about to be outdone, however, as in the fourth inning they responded with a home run of their own. Adam McVicker hit a missile of his own for a two-run shot into a neighboring backyard, equalizing the game at 3-3. 

The teams then traded runs before JCU took the lead for good in the fifth, thanks to an RBI groundout by Jack Harmon and a Connor Mayle RBI single for a 5-4 advantage. 

The Berg came up empty in the top of the sixth frame on offense, and did themselves no favors on defense, with 3 different errors leading to an extra run on the board in the bottom of the 6th at 7-4. It didn't take long for the Student Princes to bounce back, bringing a run in off an RBI single. 

The Streaks finally came up empty in the eighth after scoring in each of the last four innings, leaving the door wide open for Berg to turn the tide of the game. A comeback did not come to fruition, however. 

The Student Princes managed to load the bases with 2 outs, bringing plenty of nerves to JCU fans. But southpaw Owen Gerba came on to pitch with two outs and secured the final out of the eighth, getting out of the jam and keeping the game at 7-5. Garnering a groundout, Gerba played a huge role in keeping JCU in the driver's seat.

Responding to the electricity of getting out of that jam, the Blue Streaks kept the momentum going, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning to extend their two run lead to 5, eclipsing the 10-run mark thanks to a 2-run Daugenti single and a double steal. 

Despite a five-run lead, a comeback was not out of the question for the Berg, with a quick two runs following a walk to start the inning, and a third run brought in courtesy of a sac fly to bring the score back within two at 10-8. Roger Simon came on to save the day for the Blue Streaks, slamming the door with three huge outs to secure the win, 10-8. 

Game 2
The Berg answered their Game 1 loss by jumping on the Blue Streaks early, with an RBI single from McVicker in the first. The Student Princes were not done, as Camden Farley and McVicker each delivered RBI singles to give Heidelberg a commanding 3-0 lead through three. Heidelberg starting pitcher, senior Andrew Cook, shut down the Blue Streak bats early, allowing zero hits while striking out two through his first three frames of work. 

To start the fourth inning, Heidelberg was once again threatening until John Carroll starting pitcher, graduate student Maxwell Schumaker, made a great play to cut a runner at the plate during a safety squeeze. However, the Student Princes would strike, as graduate student Aidan Corrigan delivered a two-out RBI single to center. In the bottom half, the Blue Streaks put some pressure on Heidelberg with back to back singles from Daugenti and Holt, but Cook got Harmon to pop out to end the threat.

The Blue Streaks got on the board in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Senior outfielder Luke Chlystek hammered a line drive into left field, scoring Mayle. After Bates executed a hit and run to perfection, LaMere singled to right center to cut the deficit in half. John Carroll would get one more run, as Haracz drove in Bates on a groundout to second. 

JCU was not done just yet. After a one out double from Harmon, Chlystek hit a laser to right to tie the ball game. Then, Bates crushed a double to left center to give the Blue Streaks their first lead of game two.

Heidelberg began to make a late push with two base runners in the top of the seventh, but senior pitcher Brandon Ferdinando struck out a Student Prince to end the threat. 

"Trying to put up zeroes was my main mindset," said Ferdinando. "Every inning putting up a zero gives our hitters a chance to go in and do some damage. The guys came through, little by little, then they broke through."

Ferdinando came up big again, with back-to-back scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth to seal a double header sweep over the Student Princes. A pretty 5-4-3 doubleplay ended the day.

"I just trusted my stuff. The curveball was working very well today, so I just kept hammering it.," said Ferdinando. "When they put the ball in play, it was a relief to see them turn it really fast."

Ferdinando got the win, his second of the year, pushing his record to 2-1. Bates and Clystek both went 2-for 3 and combined for 3 RBIs. The Blue Streaks got out-hit 12-9, but did enough in pressure situations to get the job done.

Next Up
John Carroll Baseball is scheduled to be at home on Saturday. The Blue Streaks are slated to host Ohio Northern at 1 and 4 pm in a conference doubleheader, weather permitting. 
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Players Mentioned

Luke Chlystek

#40 Luke Chlystek

OF
6' 0"
Senior
L-L
Erik Daugenti

#3 Erik Daugenti

OF
6' 1"
Senior
R-R
Brandon Ferdinando

#38 Brandon Ferdinando

P
6' 4"
Senior
L-L
Owen Gerba

#36 Owen Gerba

P
6' 0"
Junior
L-L
Jack Harmon

#56 Jack Harmon

IF
6' 2"
Junior
R-R
Jamon Higley

#0 Jamon Higley

P
6' 2"
Senior
L-L
Bryce Holt

#8 Bryce Holt

OF
6' 0"
Senior
L-R
Logan LaMere

#17 Logan LaMere

C
6' 0"
Senior
R-R
Connor Mayle

#26 Connor Mayle

IF
5' 9"
Senior
R-R
Maxwell Schumaker

#49 Maxwell Schumaker

P
5' 9"
Graduate Student
R-R

Players Mentioned

Luke Chlystek

#40 Luke Chlystek

6' 0"
Senior
L-L
OF
Erik Daugenti

#3 Erik Daugenti

6' 1"
Senior
R-R
OF
Brandon Ferdinando

#38 Brandon Ferdinando

6' 4"
Senior
L-L
P
Owen Gerba

#36 Owen Gerba

6' 0"
Junior
L-L
P
Jack Harmon

#56 Jack Harmon

6' 2"
Junior
R-R
IF
Jamon Higley

#0 Jamon Higley

6' 2"
Senior
L-L
P
Bryce Holt

#8 Bryce Holt

6' 0"
Senior
L-R
OF
Logan LaMere

#17 Logan LaMere

6' 0"
Senior
R-R
C
Connor Mayle

#26 Connor Mayle

5' 9"
Senior
R-R
IF
Maxwell Schumaker

#49 Maxwell Schumaker

5' 9"
Graduate Student
R-R
P

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