Edwardsburg sweeps Niles

Published 1:11 pm Friday, May 6, 2011

Niles' Chris Mangus delivers to the plate in the second game of its non-league doubleheader with Edwardsburg. The Eddies swept the Vikings Thursday afternoon 4-2 and 10-0. (Daily Star Photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

After rallying to earn a 4-2 victory in the opening game of its non-league doubleheader against host Niles Thursday afternoon, the Edwardsburg baseball team erupted in the nightcap to complete a sweep of the Vikings.

The Eddies (8-4) collected 11 hits in winning the second game 10-0 in five innings.
Edwardsburg took the opener with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning.

After a lead-off walk and stolen base by Daniel Witucki, Ethan Zimmerman singled to put runners at first and third. Zimmerman then stole second and when Zach Thompson walked, the bases were full of Eddies with no outs.

Ian Lower followed with a single to center field to score both Witucki and Zimmerman with the go-ahead runs.

Niles was able to stop the bleeding at that point, but in the bottom of the seventh, the Vikings went down in order as winning pitcher Ethan Moreno slammed the door.

Moreno went the distance, striking out five, walking three and scattering five hits.

Cody Taggart took the loss in relief of starter Riley Robson.

Edwardsburg picked up seven hits off the two Niles pitcher, led by Zimmerman, who was 2-for-4. Moreno had a double.

Niles (8-4) got two hits from Matthew McLaughlin and Chris Mangus, both of whom drove in a run.

In the nightcap, a five-run fourth inning broke open a close game.

The Eddies’ Caleb Dill, Jason Schimpa and Zayne Guernsey all had RBI singles in the frame.
Zimmerman went the distance for Edwardsburg, tossing a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks.

The Eddies finished with 11 hits, including a 3-for-4 performance from Dill, who had four RBIs. Lower and Schimpa each had two hits. Schimpa and Matt Toney each drove in a pair of runs.

Mangus started for the Vikings and worked the first three and a third innings, allowing two runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Seth Purucker worked the final inning and two-thirds, giving up eight runs on nine hits.

McLaughlin, Donte Stevens and Logan Harpenau had the three hits for Niles, which will play Shaker Heights on Saturday at Notre Dame’s Eck Stadium at 2 p.m.

First game
Edwardsburg 110 000 2 – 4 7 1
Niles 101 000 0 – 2 5 1

Ethan Moreno (W)
Riley Robson, Cody Taggart (L, 6)
2B: Moreno (E)

Second game
Edwardsburg 020 53 – 10 11 0
Niles 000 00 – 0 3 4

Evan Zimmerman (W)
Chris Mangus (L), Seth Purucker
3B: Jason Schimpa