Triceratops stay hot with sweep over Edison State

PARMA, Ohio (athletics.tri-c.edu) – The Cuyahoga Community College Triceratops (25-13-1, 9-1 OCCAC) continued to build momentum for the NJCAA postseason, driving their winning streak to six straight with two more wins over the Edison State Chargers (7-25, 4-10 OCCAC), April 25. Looking at the rest of the season, the Triceratops have won 12 of their last 13 contests.

Where yesterday's games at Edison State were all about offense, today's doubleheader was all about pitching. Outstanding performances from starters Ethan Elbert (So.) in game one and Keagan Gilbride (So./Akron, Ohio) in game two turned off the Charger offense. Elbert tied a career high with 6 and one third innings pitched, adding six strikeouts. Gilbride dazzled in the opening, putting the first nine Chargers down in order en route to a complete game shutout with five strikeouts of his own compared to just two hits and one earned run allowed.

Hits were difficult to come by in the cold and misty weather, but that didn't stop the Triceratops from crowding the basepaths. 10 walks with 13 hits across both games ensured the bases were covered in Tri-C teal, with the Triceratops their typical aggressive selves on the basepaths adding 15 stolen bases. Brayden Bortnick (Fr./Mentor, Ohio) led the way for the Triceratops with four total stolen bases – three of which came in game two, tying a career best.

With a Lakeland Community College win over Bryant & Stratton College (Ohio) and the two Tri-C wins, the Triceratops will control their postseason destiny heading into the season's final week. A series win over Bryant & Stratton to close the season would likely set up a Tri-C home series to open the NJCAA Region XII playoffs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game One

• Elbert started his stellar day by sitting down the Chargers, 1-2-3 to start the game.
• Both pitchers were dealing early, with no score and minimal hits until the top of the third, when Edison State scored their lone run on a line drive single.
• Bortnick tied the game in the home half of the frame on a sacrifice fly that scored Alex "A.J." Trobenter (Fr./Euclid, Ohio).
• The game fell back into a pitching duel, with Elbert continuing to blank the Chargers.
• The Triceratops' patented big inning came in the fifth, when six runs broke the tie. A fly ball off the bat of Jamir Ross (R-Fr./Dayton, Ohio) led to an Edison State error that kicked off the scoring and put Ross on second base. Fielder's choices from Vinny Gallaher (So./Toledo, Ohio) and Nathan Hill (So./Medina, Ohio/Toledo) scored two more runs before the inning was capped off by a two-RBI single by Zeylen Yanmaz (Fr./Medina, Ohio).
• In the seventh, Spencer Mueller (So./Grafton, Ohio/Findlay) came out of the bullpen and record two outs to close out the game with a 7-1 Triceratops win.

Game Two

• Gilbride took the ball for game two, keeping the first nine Chargers off the basepaths.
• Trobenter got the scoring started in the bottom of the second with a two-strike single though the second base gap, scoring Pat Farrell. Yanmaz came in to score on a passed ball on the very next pitch. Another wild pitch scored Trobenter, giving Tri-C a 3-0 lead.
• Edison State posted their first base hit in the top of the fourth. The Chargers scored two on a throwing error, and the tying run came across courtesy of a sacrifice fly from the following batter.
• Yanmaz broke the tie in the home half of the fourth, advancing home on a wild pitch.
• Jackson Boles (So.) extended the Triceratops lead to 6-3 with a single over the third baseman's head.
• A sacrifice fly from Farrell provided one insurance run for the Triceratops, with a second coming off a single by Brock Miller (So./Willard, Ohio). Yanmaz pushed the lead to 9-3 with a single up the middle.

UP NEXT

After an off day, the Triceratops will return to Ron Mottl Field April 27 for a doubleheader against OCCAC foe Lakeland Community College. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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