The Carleton University Ravens baseball team combined solid pitching and strong offence to win their opening game of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) season, defeating the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees 5-1 in game one of the O-Train series on Sept. 7.
For the first two innings, a pitcher’s battle kept the offence quiet on both sides, as Carleton’s Nathan Van Putten took the mound against uOttawa rookie Max Zentil.
The Ravens’ offence broke through for the first time in the third inning as second baseman Colby Schroeder drove a single hit into right field, scoring Trent Verch from second to give Carleton a 1-0 lead.
“We’re all over them,” Ravens players and coaches echoed upon returning to the dugout, eager to keep the momentum going.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Ravens did exactly that. After third baseman Damon Gregoris tripled to start the inning, first baseman Jayson Moss-McEachern followed with a single to cash the run.
Robert Forward hit an RBI-single to score Justin Dineen from second. The Ravens were fired up, coming out of the inning with a four-run lead.
On defence, Van Putten shut down the Gee-Gee’s offence to maintain the Ravens’ lead. The right-hander gave Carleton exactly what they were hoping for, pitching six shutout innings with seven strikeouts, allowing only two hits.
Robert Passmore came out of the bullpen for the last three innings to secure the win for Carleton, earning his first save of his OUA career. The rookie struck out five batters, allowing one run on no hits.
Head coach Daylon Courchene said he was proud of the team’s performance.
“We did exactly what we wanted to in the first game,” Courchene said. “I told all the guys this wasn’t going to be an easy game like it has been in the past … [and] the guys did a really good job at coming out and being ready to go.”
The Ravens will face the Gee-Gees three more times in the regular season as part of the O-Train series.
“It was just great to beat uOttawa and it’s always just a good rivalry,” said Schroeder, who went two-for-three with a walk in the game. “It’s good to start off on the right foot [in] the first game.”
The Ravens lost three of their four games in a series against the Queen’s University Gaels in Kingston, Ont. last weekend. However, Carleton bounced back against the Gee-Gees at Hamilton Yards to win game two of the O-Train series on Sept. 14.
Featured image by Natasha Baldin.
