By Jacob Russell

XENIA, Ohio - Three of Xenia’s four runs were unearned Thursday night, and their only earned run was the difference as they finished the sweep. 

Although both teams put runners in scoring position in the second inning, neither team scored until the fifth. Warsaw Federal Player of the Game Eddie Rivero (Xavier) went from first to home on a double off the bat of center fielder Grant Richardson (Indiana) to open the scoring. 

Scouts third baseman Brandon Wilson Jr. (Loyola) reached on an error to start the bottom of the fifth and made it home on a Logan Matson (Olivet Nazarene) sacrifice fly. Cincinnati starting pitcher Jake Schrand’s (Wright State) sixth walk brought in a run to give Xenia a 2-1 lead. Schrand allowed one hit and two runs (one earned), struck out six and walked six in five innings. 

Brett Carson (Muskingum), who started the game on the mound for the Scouts, fell apart in the seventh inning. Griffin Merritt (Cincinnati) led off the inning with a single and Tyler Wardwell (Duke) followed that up with a double. Samuel Willis (Trinity International) relieved Carson and gave up a two-RBI triple against the first batter he faced, Rivero. 

Carson didn’t get a decision, but he did pitch Xenia’s third quality start of the series. His final line was six innings pitched, five hits and three runs (two unearned) allowed, two strikeouts and two walks.

A Steam throwing error simultaneously threw away out number three and tied the game at three in the bottom of the seventh. In the following inning, two throwing errors on the same play handed the Scouts the go-ahead run.

Cincinnati reliever Alex Firsdon (Iowa Western CC) got his first loss despite having the two runs he gave up in three innings be unearned. Only four of the 12 runs Firsdon has allowed this summer are earned. 

Willis has struggled this summer, but he allowed only two hits in the final three innings. This win improved his record to 1-2 and his ERA to 10.36. 

The Steam’s next two games are at Max McLeary Field at 7:05 p.m. on July 12 and 13. Wright State’s Brock Nartker (1-0, 2.57 ERA) is the probable starter for Friday and Northern Kentucky’s Jared Flueck (2-2, 4.08 ERA) is projected to start on Saturday.

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