The Allen Community College baseball team’s scorching-hot start to the season continued on Monday with a dominating performance in a home sweep of Ottawa University’s junior varsity.
Game one saw the Red Devils cruise to a 13-1 victory behind freshman starting pitcher Jacob Hollingsworth’s four shutout innings.
The Braves could not catch up to the 6-4 left-hander’s stuff. Hollingsworth struck out nine batters in his four innings.
“Hollingsworth really settled in for us,” Red Devil coach Clint Stoy said. “He had a rough first inning (where the Braves scored their lone run), then he ended up giving us four.”
Hollingsworth is now 1-0 this season with a remarkable 13 strikeouts in just six innings pitched.
Sophomore Kole McKinnon and freshman Aaron Mason were the offensive stars on the game with three RBIs apiece. Allen was able to run-rule the Braves after five innings.
Game two was more competitive, but again, the Red Devils leaned on an outstanding pitching performance to pick up a victory.
Allen sophomore Derek Sallee pitched five innings in the 8-3 win and struck out eight batters while only allowing one hit.
“Sallee really gave us a great chance to win that game and it didn’t matter who we were playing, he was locked in,” Stoy said. “He punched out quite a few guys.”
Although the game was lower scoring than the opener, the Red Devils were able to put some power on display with deep bombs by freshman Clayton Hale and sophomore Robby Enriquez.
For Hale, it is the first homer of his college career.
For Enriquez, the homer is already his sixth of the season with 12 games into the season. He has embraced the three hole in the order and has become the catalyst for the team.
“Robby is Robby,” Stoy said. “He is the energy of our team with his attitude and his effort. He brings it every day and that is all you can ask for. The guys love him and I love him. He is just a great kid.”
The Red Devils have now run their record to 11-1 this season and will look to carry that momentum into the rest of this busy week.
UP NEXT
The Red Devils will face off with Wentworth Military Academy this afternoon for a single-game starting at 2 p.m.
On Wednesday, the Red Devils will face a tough task when they go on the road to perennial-power State Fair Community College for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
