It was quite a long time coming, with the time in between games spanning nearly a full year due to COVID-19. But for the Lake Erie baseball team, the wait finally ended on Friday, as the Storm lost their season opener on the road to Southern Indiana, 9-3.

Understandably, the Storm had to get used to game speed once more, as they hadn't taken to the diamond in a live game since March 10. Senior righthander Ryan Middendorf took to the mound to start the first game of year for Lake Erie, and the 6-6, 220-pound West Chester, Ohio native saw decent results in his 2021 debut. Over five innings of work, Middendorf allowed four hits, two walks, and two earned runs, striking out 12 in the process. However, a third run Middendorf allowed in the fifth, this time unearned, helped Storm head coach Gary Vaught make the decision to relieve his big righty for lefthander Ryan Lally to begin the sixth inning.

Lally entered the game with a 3-1 deficit, with the sole Lake Erie run having come in the top of the second inning, when freshman catcher Cody Greenfield reached safely on a fielder's choice that also scored senior Sam Browning. That run in the second had given the Storm an early 1-0 advantage, but after that play, Lake Erie would be outscored by Southern Indiana 9-0, until the Storm finally mustered two more runs across the plate in the top of the ninth. But that last-ditch effort wouldn't be enough for them to mount a comeback, and the Storm start the season out 0-1 as a result.

Austin Grossman was the winning pitcher for the Screaming Eagles, as he threw six innings of one-run ball, allowing only one hit in the process. First baseman Lucas McNew picked up a double and three RBI in the game which also served as the season opener for Southern Indiana. Right fielder Austin Moody also had two RBI, and infielders Ethan Hunter and Bryce Krizan each stole two bases for the Eagles.

For the Storm, infielder Trace Peterson went 2-3, and Greenfield, Eric Doyle, and Nate Birtley each grabbed an RBI in the contest. In addition to Middendorf and Lally, Tristan Mayer and Nick Taylor also saw action from the pitcher's position.

After a weather delay pushed Friday's game back several hours, the two teams look to face off again on Saturday, as the second game of this three-game series between the Storm and Eagles is set to take place at 3:00 pm ET.