Warner Leads with Three Hits, But V-Hawks Fall to Braves

OTTAWA, Kans. – The Viterbo University Baseball team lost both games of a doubleheader at Ottawa University (Kans.) on Friday afternoon, 0-2 and 2-8. The V-Hawks fall to 0-6, while the Braves improve to 5-4.

Ottawa started the first game with two hits and a run in the first inning, and while Viterbo would get runners on base each of the next three innings, the next run scored would by from the Braves in the bottom of the fourth. Marcus Hornacek recorded the V-Hawks first hit with a single in the fifth and while two runners got on in the sixth, the V-Hawks did not manage a run and lost, 0-2.

Hornacek and Garrett Heying with the only two V-Hawks to record hits, while only three Braves had hits. Brandon Jaenke recorded the loss with six strikeouts over 5.0 innings, while Zack Melendez had 10 K's in his win, and Caden Gray recorded the save.

Brett Stuessel and Blake Warner both singled in the top of the first as the V-Hawks loaded the bases, but were unable to score, and OU took a 2-0 lead in the second on a pair of hits. Warner singled again in the third, but three hits from Ottawa in the fourth extended the lead to 5-0. Stuessel and Warner each had an RBI double in the top of the fifth, but Ottawa added three more runs in the bottom of the frame. Viterbo did not manage a hit over the next two innings as Ottawa claimed the 8-2 win.

Warner led the V-Hawks going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Stuessel was 2-4, and Nathan Faust added a hit of his own. Blaine Thomas had three hits for OU, and three others had two hits. Jake Ouweneel (L, 0-1) recorded the loss, while Josh Perez (W, 1-1) earned the win with four strikeouts.

Viterbo and Ottawa complete their series with another doubleheader on Saturday.