Shultz and Ortiz Power The Commodores To A Sweep Over Kent State Club

April 27, 2024 - -  The Lorain County Community College baseball team brushed off two losses to Kent State Tuscarawas on Friday to bounce back against the Kent State University's club team, outscoring them 19-5, to pick up two wins and their first doubleheader sweep of the season. 

Recap

LCCC vs. Kent State Tuscarawas

LCCC had a chance to steal one against Tuscarawas in game one as they led 8-5 going into the final inning but the Golden Eagles scored seven runs to take a 12-8 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.

The Commodores got one run in the first inning as Jaden Nestor-Fox (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion HS) scored on a ground out by Mason Shultz (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion HS).  In the second inning, the Commodores loaded the bases with no outs.  They got two runs thanks to walks with the bases loaded and then Hunter Cahl (Elyria, Ohio/Elyria HS) flied out to the right field to score Matt Roesel (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain HS).  Shultz doubled home Nestor-Fox and Joseph Mealey (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville HS) to give the Commodores 6-2 edge after two innings.

LCCC added a run in the fourth when Tyler DiLuciano (Cleveland, Ohio/Holy Cross HS) reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop which allowed Shultz to score after he reached with a walk.  Shultz scored again in the sixth inning to put LCCC up 8-5.

The Commodores tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh as Kian Ortiz (Lorain, Ohio/Clearview HS) singled home Cahl and Nestor-Fox but that would be all the noise the Commodores would make as they fell 12-10.

In game two, LCCC was held to two hits and lost to Tuscarawas 10-0 in five innings.

Recap

LCCC vs. Kent State University Club

On Saturday, the Commodores fortunes changed.  They went up against Kent State University's club team and put up 13 runs against the Golden Flashes.  

Shultz and DiLuciano both doubled to score runs in the first inning to give the Commodores a 2-0 lead. Then they put up five spot in the third when they capitalized on two Kent State errors. Mealey and Nestor-Fox both doubled in runs while Mealey scored on a sacrifice bunt by ReDon (TJ) Jones III (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/Cornerstone Christian HS).

After Kent State scored three runs in the fifth, LCCC responded with six runs to get their first mercy rule win of the season. Ortiz homered to center field before Mealey drove in Joey Kulwicki (Grafton, Ohio/Midview HS) from second to put LCCC up 10.

Caleb Shinsky pitched all five innings for the Commodores for his third complete game victory in his last four starts.  He only allowed four hits while striking out seven batters against one walk.

In game two, LCCC kept their foot on the gas as Shultz cranked a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to put his team up two after Kent State opened the game with a run in the top half of the inning.

From there, LCCC kept padding their lead with a run in each of the next three innings. Yaniel Valentin (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain HS) scored on a throwing error by Kent in the second. Shultz homered again in the third for his second of the game to put the Commodore up three. Shultz now has six homers on the season.

Valentin scored again in the fourth inning when Nestor-Fox doubled him home.  Silas Skvor scored LCCC's sixth run of the game when he pinch ran for Ortiz and scored on Nestor-Fox's sacrifice.

Cahl went the distance for the Commodores picking up his first win of the season with 10 strikeouts allowing three hits.  

Next Up

The Commodores next games come on May 4, 2024 when they will travel to Kent State Tuscarawas to wrap up the regular season before the NJCAA Region 12 DIII Championships on May 8, 2024 at Sports Force Parks in Sandusky, Ohio.