LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (March 16, 2009) – Melvin Robinson (Bear, DE/William Penn) and Omar Ongay (Wilmington, DE/Glasgow) had two hits each for the Lincoln University of Pennsylvania baseball team during its 9-3 defeat to Baptist Bible College Monday afternoon. (BOXSCORE) (PHOTO GALLERY)
Lincoln freshman pitcher Kyle Brooks (Baltimore, Md./Seton Hill HS) pitched brilliantly for 8.1 innings striking out seven batters. Unfortunately for the Lions and Brooks, things fell apart in the top of the ninth as Baptist Bible took advantage of four Lincoln errors to score eight runs.
The Lions appeared to be on their way to a third consecutive victory as they started strong and made several terrific plays to keep their advantage. First inning singles from Omar Glinton (Nassau, Bahamas/St. Augustine's), Robinson, Joe Kruemmer (Middletown, DE/Hodgson Vo-Tech), Ongay and Alexnader Donald helped Lincoln take a 2-0 lead. Robinson and Ongay's hits produced RBIs. Donald's hit was his first as a college baseball player.
Lincoln manufactured its third run in the bottom of the third inning. Robinson led off with a single and stole second base. He moved to third on Kruemmer's ground ball to the right side. Robinson crossed the plate for the second time on Ongay's sacrifice fly.
From there Brooks put on a clinic of outstanding pitching. Brooks retired 10 straight batters at one point during the game. He also got some high quality defense especially from Donald in the top of the sixth inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Donald made a nice catch in foul territory for the second out and then fired a strike to third base to double off the runner.
Brooks was courageous in the eighth inning. Lincoln's 3-1 advantage was in serious jeopardy after Baptist Bible led off the inning with a single from Ryan Kruse and a double from Ken Kirby. Brooks responded by getting a strikeout, inducing a foul out and a pop out after a two-out walk. Brooks opened the ninth inning with his final strikeout of the game.
Lincoln returns to action Thursday afternoon when it hosts reigning CIAA champion Virginia State University in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.
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