LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (March 14, 2009) – The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania baseball team used a dramatic rally capped by a game-winning hit from sophomore Melvin Robinson (Bear, DE, William Penn) and a dominant pitching performance from junior Omar Ongay (Wilmington, DE, Glasgow) to sweep Saint Paul's College in its home opening doubleheader, 10-9 and 9-3, Saturday afternoon. (GAME 1 BOXSCORE) (GAME 2 BOXSCORE) (PHOTO GALLERY)
Getting big plays from everybody, the Lions broke into the win column for the first time this season and doubled their win total from 2008. In addition, the victory was first-year head coach Anthony Plá's first career collegiate coaching victory. Ongay recorded the wins in both games. It was the second time in his career Ongay has been the winning pitcher in both games of a doubleheader.
Plá will always remember this one because of the heart exhibited by the Lions, who overcame a pair of two-run deficits and a late Saint Paul's College rally to win the first game.
“Each one of our players had been working hard to get to this point and they've been taking steps forward everyday,” Plá said. “This victory was a team effort. All of the guys from 1 through 12 played hard and played a part in the victory. Today, the guys played baseball. It was exciting to see.”
The Lions pounded out 14 hits in the opener. The last of the hits produced the winning run and capped an amazing afternoon for Lincoln. With the bases loaded, Robinson singled up the middle to score Omar Cham (Highland Park, NJ, Highland Park) with the winning run. Robinson was one of five Lincoln players to finish with multiple hits in the opening game.
Robert Webster (Washington, DC, Bishop McNamara) paced Lincoln's offensive attack by going 4-for-4 and scoring three runs. Robinson, Ongay, Cham and Joe Kruemmer (Middletown, DE, Hodgson Vo-Tech) had two hits each for the Lions. Kruemmer and Ongay drove in three runs each for Lincoln, which scored three of its runs on sacrifice flies.
Kruemmer's RBI single highlighted Lincoln's three run sixth inning. The Lions led, 8-5 entering the top of the seventh inning behind the solid pitching of Alexander Donald (Los Angeles, CA, Dorsey), who finished with four strikeouts. However, the Tigers turned a few errors, passed balls and walks into four runs and a 9-8 lead. Ongay wiggled out of the jam and gave the Lions an opportunity to win the game.
Ongay carried that momentum into the second game where he struck out 11 batters. Lincoln's offense helped Ongay relax by roaring to a 7-1 lead after two innings. Lincoln scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to its first four hitters (Glinton, Kyle Brooks (Baltimore, MD, Seton Hill), Robinson, Kruemmer and Ongay) crossing the plate.
Cham had two of Lincoln's seven hits in the nightcap to extend his hitting streak to three games. Aaron Thomas (Oxford, PA, Oxford Area) drove in a pair of runs for Lincoln. He has driven in at least one run in three straight games.
“I knew Omar (Ongay) wanted the ball to close out the first game and he wanted it for the second game,” Plá said. “He threw the ball well and for him to keep us only down by a run was huge. Overall, Omar had good control and he grew as a baseball player today. This victory was a total team effort and they all played hard. This is exciting and I am really happy for my guys.”
Saint Paul's College catcher Travis Worthington had three hits in each game.
Lincoln will return to action Monday afternoon when it hosts Baptist Bible College in a nine-inning contest beginning at 3:00 p.m.
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