Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 7, La Roche 6

Junior second baseman Austin Harper (Sycamore/Mohawk) knocked in 3 runs and senior outfielder Jon Erhard (Newark/Newark Catholic) plated 2 more, and sophomore righthander Colin Kennedy (Chagrin Falls) tightroped through a precarious ninth inning to nail down the win as Ohio Wesleyan edged La Roche in non-conference action on Tuesday in Punta Gorda, Fla.

The Bishops jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as senior first baseman Canyon McWilliams (Shaker Heights) lined a one-out single and junior outfielder Cole Antle (Grove City) walked before Harper doubled home McWilliams.  Erhard followed with a 2-run single to extend the margin to 3-0.

The Redhawks answered in the bottom of the inning, drawing within 3-2 as Ryan Lynn singled home a run and eventually came around to score on a double play grounder.

Harper lined a 2-run single in the third, driving home McWilliams and Antle, but La Roche got one run back in the bottom of the inning on Philip Pieto's RBI double and drew within 5-4 when Austin Hoffman tripled and scored on a Jay Novak ground out in the fourth.

Ohio Wesleyan picked up a pair of insurance runs in the seventh as sophomore third baseman Colin Spranger (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) tripled, senior shortstop C.J. Colson (Beachwood) doubled, and McWilliams singled home Colson for a 7-4 Bishop lead.

The Redhawks rallied in the eighth, loading the bases on a Pieto single and walks to Nathan Stutz and Dylan Urban.  Hoffman singled in a run to make it 7-5, and a walk to Cameron Pies narrowed the deficit to 7-6, but sophomore righthander Linden Hoover (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) fanned Tristan Tinney to get out of the inning.

Lynn and Jason Swope drew walks to open the La Roche ninth, but Kennedy induced Mason Brooks to bounce into a double play, with Lynn taking third on the play.  Nathan Stutz was hit by a pitch, putting the winning run on base, but Kennedy got Urban on an infield grounder to end the game.

Erhard went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI, whole McWilliams and Harper each finished at 2-for-4.

Senior righthander Chris Punka (Tallmadge/Cuyahoga Valley Christian) pitched the first 6.0 innings, scattering 8 hits and striking out 5 while walking none, to record the win.  Kennedy was credited with a save.

Garren Telesz was the starting and losing pitcher for La Roche.

Box Score