Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 3, Bridgewater State 2

Freshman second baseman D.J. Neff (Grove City) launched a walk-off homer to lift Ohio Wesleyan over Bridgewater State in non-conference play on Thursday in Port Charlotte, Fla.

With the score tied at 2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Neff greeted Bridgewater State reliever Charlie McCaffrey with a home run to left, giving the Bishops the win.

The teams had traded zeroes through the first 7.0 innings.  Junior outfielder Cole Antle (Grove City) tripled with 2 out in the first but was stranded there, senior first baseman Canyon McWilliams (Shaker Heights) led off the sixth with a walk and stole second but was stranded there, and the Bishops had runners at the corners with 2 out in the seventh but could not bring them home.

Meanwhile, the Bears had a leadoff double by Chris Hanna in the second but left him there, and in the fourth, a one-out single by Tyler Rondeau and a walk to Liam Bell put runners at first and second, but junior righthander Ethan Soderna (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep) got out of the inning without any further damage.

Bridgewater State took the lead in the eighth as Michael Catanoso was hit by a pitch to open the inning.  Catanoso stole second, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on a bunt by Bell.

Ohio Wesleyan answered with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning.  Antle lined a one-out single, then took second on a balk.  Junior second baseman Austin Harper (Sycamore/Mohawk) singled home Antle to even the score, then senior second baseman Carter Franklin (Wooster/Canton Central Catholic), in as a pinch-runner, moved to second on an infield out by sophomore outfielder Connor Shields (Columbus/West Jefferson).  Senior outfielder Jon Erhard (Newark/Newark Catholic) then grounded to Bear shortstop Rondeau, who misplayed the ball.  The ball trickled over to second baseman Bell, who threw wildly to first base, which allowed Franklin to score.

The Bears tied the game in the top of the ninth by stringing together a leadoff walk to Luke Tamulevich and singles by Colin Josselyn and Dan Saraceno.

Antle and Neff each went 2-for-4 for Ohio Wesleyan.  Junior righthander Matt Poole (Powell/Olentangy Orange) picked up the win in relief.

McCaffrey was charged with the loss for Bridgewater State.

Box Score