Albion athletics photo

ALBION – In their 2022 home opener, the Albion College baseball team split with Ohio Northern on Sunday. With the win in game one, head coach Scott Carden picked up his 300th career victory.

GAME ONE: Albion 5 Ohio Northern 2

Despite recording just four hits in the opener, it was the timely hitting that mattered for the Brits. The game was highlighted by a stellar performance on the mound by junior Pete Loch. Loch went eight-plus, allowing just two runs while striking out six.

ONU led 2-0 after three and a half, but the second and third time through the order saw the Brits make some offensive adjustments. Zac Gray led off the inning with an infield single down the third base line and later moved to second. With two away, freshman Austyn Stephens singled to left, driving in Gray and cutting the deficit to one.

Albion took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Sean Haddlesey reached on an infield single to lead off the frame. Gray sent a bouncer to second, but the throw to the shortstop went into left field and put a pair of runners aboard. Justin Charron placed a beautiful sac bunt to move the runners for clean up hitting Matt McGann.

The sophomore worked a walk to load the bases for Stephens. The freshman was hit by a pitch, allowing Haddlesey to score and tie the game at two. Freshman Ryker Mazey – the reigning MIAA Hitter of the Week –-smoked a single up the middle, giving the Brits a 4-2 lead.

In the seventh, the Britons tacked on an insurance run. Haddlesey was hit, stole second and moved to third on a balk. He later came around to score on an RBI groundout off the bat of Charron.

In the ninth, Loch ran into some trouble before Gray came on for the save. The junior got a big strikeout with the bases loaded before a groundout to third ended the game.

GAME TWO: Ohio Northern 11 Albion 3

ONU scored in seven of the nine innings, handing Albion a large deficit early.

The Brits got on the scoreboard in the seventh. Chris Marshall worked a one-out walk and scored when Charron drove a triple to the gap in left center. One batter later, freshman Sawyer Shotwell singled to right, plating Charron.

Jack Lasceski drove in the other Albion run in the bottom of the ninth.

The Britons and Polar Bears will square off again on Monday with a doubleheader in Ohio. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.