TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Rose-Hulman
Institute of Technology scored five runs in the third inning and
relied on a strong pitching performance to top North Central
College 9-1 in a baseball series opener on Friday
night.
Senior Andrew Oakley (Clinton Township, Mich./Chippewa Valley) allowed just three hits over eight innings to improve to 4-0 on the season. Oakley walked four and recorded three strikeouts for his fourth win in four starts.
Offensively, five Engineers had two hits each to lead the Rose-Hulman balanced attack. Seniors Michael Kovacs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) and B.J. Zobrist (Eureka, Ill.) (pictured) led the attack with two hits and two runs scored. Kovacs slapped a double with one RBI, while Zobrist had one RBI.
Senior Chris Stemple (Mount Vernon) slapped two hits, including a double, with one run scored and one RBI. Sophomore Donald Stopka (Grayslake, Ill./Carmel Catholic) contributed a single, double and two RBIs. Freshman Andrew Benitez (Mililani, Hawaii) came off the bench with two singles and two RBIs.
Sophomore Bobby Newman (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) added a triple and scored once to provide offensive depth. The Engineers relied on a double by junior Jamie Weinle (Harrison, Ohio/Olney C.C.), singles by Stemple and Zobrist, a double by Kovacs and a single from Stopka to plate their five runs in the third frame.
Rose-Hulman improved to 8-4 on the season, and North Central dropped to 2-1. The Engineers and Cardinals return to action as the series continues on Saturday at noon.