By Jacob Russell

RICHMOND, Ind. - Game two of Tuesday’s doubleheader was rained out, but Cincinnati and Richmond were evenly matched for most of game one.

The Steam sent another reliever, Ethan Doty (Otterbein), to the hill at the start of this game. Doty, despite looking great in his last two relief appearances, gave up the game’s first two runs in the bottom of the second. Third baseman Eric Roberts (Evansville) hit a solo homer to right field before catcher Hunter Nabors (Alabama Huntsville) scored shortstop Zach Jarosz (Butler) from first with a double.

Jake Silverstein’s (Dayton) sacrifice fly to right in the top of the third brought in fellow outfielder Gephry Pena (Central Florida) and halved Cincinnati’s deficit.

Inning number four was the beginning of the end for Jazz starting pitcher Hunter Smith (Macomb CC). Warsaw Federal Player of the Game Tyler Wardwell (Duke) drew a walk to start the inning, stole second base and came home on a single off the bat of the following batter, first baseman Griffin Merritt (Cincinnati). 

Eddie Rivero (Xavier), the second baseman, plated Merritt with his team’s third consecutive single. Silverstein’s second sacrifice fly of the day scored Rivero.

Designated hitter Caleb Meeks (Evansville), who later pitched for Richmond, tied the game at four in the fourth inning with a two-run shot to right. It would’ve been a three-run homer if Jarosz, who lead off the inning, hadn’t been thrown out at home plate for the first out prior to Meeks’ trip to the plate. 

Doty’s day was done at four innings in which he allowed seven hits and four earned runs, struck out three and walked two. 

In the fifth inning, the Steam responded with three additional runs. Wardwell knocked in third baseman Braydon Runion (Walters State CC) with a double. After a pitching change, Wardwell made it home on a wild pitch. Pena’s only hit of the day was an RBI single that scored designated hitter Cameron Rountree (Wright State). 

Cooper Denney (Edison State College) had to finish the fifth inning for Smith. Smith allowed ten hits and six runs (five earned), struck out one and walked three in four and one-third innings.

Alex Firsdon (Iowa Western CC) relieved Doty to start the bottom of the fifth inning. Three consecutive singles by left fielder Daniel Rodriguez (Clark U), Roberts and Jarosz put the Jazz within one run, 7-6. Richmond’s third home run of the day, this one a Mike Steffan (Canisius College) solo shot, tied the game in the sixth. 

Firsdon earned his first win (and decision) of the year despite giving up four hits, three runs (two earned) in three innings while finishing doubleheader regulation.

Meeks, the designated hitter who went to the mound for two and two-thirds innings, got the loss for allowing Wardwell’s RBI single in the top of the eighth. 

Southpaw reliever Jonathan Brus (Dayton) induced three flyouts to right field to get his second extra-inning save in two games. 

Cincinnati and Richmond finish this series in a doubleheader on July 3. The Southern Ohio Copperheads come to Max McLeary Field this weekend. 

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