Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
Ohio Wesleyan 7, Ohio Northern 5
Ohio Northern 22, Ohio Wesleyan 1
Sophomore first baseman Canyon McWilliams (Shaker Heights) slammed a 3-run homer that proved to be the deciding margin as Ohio Wesleyan defeated Ohio Northern in the opener of a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday at Littick Field.
In the nightcap, the Polar Bears scored the first 9 runs of the game and went on to salvage a split of the twinbill.
Senior third baseman Colin Stolly (Lima/Central Catholic) doubled in a run in the second and sophomore outfielder Jon Erhard (Newark/Newark Catholic) launched a solo homer in the third inning of the opener.
Luke Klinehoffer led off the top of the sixth with a solo homer to put Ohio Northern on the scoreboard, but freshman outfielder Nick Sala (Oviedo, Fla.) got the run back by leading off the bottom of the inning with a solo shot of his own.
McWilliams' 3-run homer in the eighth increased the Ohio Wesleyan lead to 7-1.
The Polar Bears rallied in the ninth, with Dan Barna hitting a 2-run homer and Kyle Schlade and Klinehoffer adding RBI doubles later in the inning, but sophomore righthander Cody Brown (Lebanon) retired Caleb Thomas to end the game.
Erhard was 4-for-5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI for Ohio Wesleyan, while McWilliams went 3-for-4. Sophomore righthander Justin Grubb (Pickerington/North) pitched the first 7.1 innings to collect the win, and Brown got the final out to record a save.
Jason Burkett was the starting and losing pitcher for Ohio Northern.
Klinehoffer opened the nightcap with a home run to left and Burkett added a 2-run double later in the inning to stake the visitors to a 3-0 lead, and Will Davis' 2-run single highlighted a 3-run second frame. Ohio Northern added 3 runs in the third and would go on to score in every inning.
Ohio Wesleyan scored in the bottom of the third when freshman shortstop Austin Harper (Sycamore/Mohawk) led off with a single, Erhard was hit by a pitch, and McWilliams singled home Harper.
McWilliams was the starting and losing pitcher for Ohio Wesleyan.
Jack Schaller was credited with the win for Ohio Northern.
Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
