Carol Fund, Ill: The No. 1 Denison baseball team kicked off spring break action against the No. 17 Adrian Bulldogs at the Midwest Classic hosted at Lee Pfund Field at Wheaton College. The Big Red holds a 6-3 all-time record over the Bulldogs; however, Adrian bested Denison last year in a dominant 13-3 victory. The Big Red were able to stay hot and avenge last year's loss in a 15-5 decision in eight innings, courtesy of four home runs and 12 strikeouts by the pitching staff. The Big Red move to 7-1 as Adrian drops to 6-4.

No. 1 Denison 15, No. 17 Adrian 5 (8 innings)

The Denison Big Red baseball team kicked off their spring break series, supporting its recent No. 1 vote. First-year Andrew Montero got the third start of his career and rattled off three back-to-back strikeouts to send the Big Red into its first at bat of the day.

The offense would not wait to make its presence known, as Eron Vega would blast a leadoff solo home run. Erik Sundgren would double before being scored by Andrew Fazio. Fazio would be scored by Kelly Crittenberger in the following at bat to put Denison up 3-0 after the first inning.

In the second inning, Monetero would record another three strikeout inning before the Big Red would plate three more runs in the bottom of the second. A base hit from Jack Lutte would plate Bobby Haarde before a pull side two-run homer from Sundgren would give Denison a commanding 6-0 lead.

In his third inning of work, Montero would continue his dominant run, striking out three more to bring his total to nine. The Big Red offense would simmer down before the Bulldogs would break the seal in the top of the fourth, posting three runs on three hits in the frame to cut the Denison lead in half. 

The Adrian momentum was silenced in the bottom half of the inning. Vega and Lutte would get on after being hit by pitches before Sundgren would draw a walk to load the bases. Fazio would then record his first Denison career home run in major fashion, driving in four runs with a grand slam. Crittenberger would tack on another run to his total to put the Big Red up 11-3 heading into the fifth inning.

Devin Parker would come in for Montero in the top of the fifth. The Bulldogs would snag a triple, but Parker would hold Adrian scoreless in his first inning of work. In the bottom of the frame, the offense continued to lay it on thick, as Sundgren would smash his second homer of the game to put Denison up 13-3.

Adrian would grab a lone run in the top of the sixth with a solo shot home run as well as an additional run in the top of the eighth. However, the Big Red would ultimately close the game in mercy rule fashion as Vega scored one with a single into right field before Sundgren would draw the game ending walk to plate the 15th and final run.

In the win, the Big Red offense was led by Sundgren and Fazio, who both tallied five RBIs. Sundgren, Fazio, and Vega all picked up home runs in the win.

Defensively, the first-year duo of Montero and Parker was dominant. Monetero would fan 10 and walk two in 4.0 innings, while Parker sat down two with two walks in 4.0 innings.  

Up Next: The Big Red will be back in action tomorrow, Saturday, March 14, to take on the RV Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets for their second meeting of the season.