Pioneers Split at Cuyahoga

Cleveland, Ohio – The Pioneers traveled to Cuyahoga Community College on Saturday to take on the Chellengers in a rematch of last year's regional tournament that saw Cuyahoga prevail, 13-10.  Delta split on the day, getting shut out 5-0 in game one before winning gx ame two, 8-1. 

In game one, Cuyahoga took a 1-0 lead in the second inning off Delta starting pitcher Chase Beyersdorf.  A two-base error and a single led to the unearned run and the score remained that way until the sixth inning when the home team put up a four spot. 

Delta managed just four hits in the game, led by Mitch Morley's two singles.  Beyersdorf took the loss to drop to 0-1 on the year.

In game two, Delta's offense came to life scoring three runs in the first and four in the second to spot starting pitcher Robin Van Orden to a 7-0 lead.  A Ty Robbins RBI single got things started for Delta in the first followed by a two-run error off the bat of Jeff Wright.  In the second, Aaron Esparza and Hunter David led off with back-to-back singles and came around to score on a two-RBI double by Dean Marais.  Wright would then single to score Marais before an error allowed to Wright to score.

Cuyahoga would get a run in the third to cut the lead to 7-1 but Z Westley would get it right back for Delta as he blasted his third homerun of the season to finish the scoring at 8-1.  Van Orden threw a complete game on the bump for the Pioneers in his first collegiate start. 

"Robin threw great in Florida in a relief role so (pitching coach) Coach Jeff decided it was time to give him a start and see how he would respond," said sixth year coach Danny Smith.  "Obviously, he responded well."

Delta was led on offense by Jeff Wright with two hits.  Each of the Delta starters had at least one hit in the contest, however.

"It was nice to see our offense show signs of life," said Smith.  "We are struggling offensively right now.  Chase (Beyersdorf) threw well enough to win his game but our offense was anemic and that forced us from a 1-0 game to make changes that we normally wouldn't have made."

"Hopefully, this is a wake-up call to our hitters."

The Pioneers next travel to Lorain County Community College on Wednesday to take on the Commodores at Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio.  The game is the first of eight Delta will play in the Region XII Division Three regional to determine seeding for the Regional Tournament hosted by the Pioneers at Northwood University from May 12-14^th.  Schoolcraft is the other team in the region and will visit Delta for a four game series on April 7^th and 8^th.  Lorain comes to Delta on April 20^th.