Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Wittenberg 5, Ohio Wesleyan 3
Wittenberg 9, Ohio Wesleyan 1

Senior outfielder Cole Antle (Grove City) drove in a run to bring Ohio Wesleyan within 5-3, but Wittenberg withstood the Bishop rally and held on for a win in the opener of a North Coast Athletic Conference West Division doubleheader on Saturday at Littick Field.

In the nightcap, the Tigers struck for 4 runs in the top pf the first inning and went on to complete the sweep.

Senior righthander Ethan Soderna (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep) and Denison's Charlie Fleming each worked 4.0 shutout innings in the opener, but Wittenberg got on the board in the fifth when Ryan Probst walked and later scored on a 2-run homer by Jack Hollinshead.  The Tigers added a run later in the inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Ohio Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the inning when senior third baseman Austin Harper (Sycamore/Mohawk) led off with a double, moved to third on an infield out, and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior catcher Zack Stiteler (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange), but the Tigers pushed across a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to increase the lead to 5-1.

The Bishops narrowed the gap when junior outfielder Davis Graham (Canton/Massillon Jackson) led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Junior first baseman Izaiah Withrow (Carroll/Bloom-Carroll) singled home Graham and took second on the play, then moved to third on an infield out.  After a walk to sophomore outfielder Max Pershin (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech College Prep), Antle lofted a sacrifice fly to score freshman second baseman Blake Farley (Hudson), pinch-running for Withrow. Harper followed with a single to put the tying run on base, and Pershin moved to third on a wild pitch to put runners on the corners, but Tiger reliever Jared Burick got freshman outfielder Edrick Padilla (Salinas, P.R./Perkiomen (Pa.) School) on strikes to shut down the rally.

Ohio Wesleyan threatened in the bottom of the seventh as Stiteler was hit by a pitch to open the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Senior shortstop C.J. Colson (Beachwood) followed with a single through the left side, with Stiteler rounding third and heading for home on the play.  The throw from leftfielder Tanner Boros got past catcher Hollingshead, but Hollingshead tracked down the ball and threw to third baseman Dylan Jackson covering the plate to get Stiteler for the first out.  One out later, junior catcher Lucas Stetter (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain) drew a walk to put the tying run on base, but Wittenberg reliever Justin Maynard induced junior first baseman Luigi Russo (Kelowna, B.C./Rutland Senior) to bounce into an inning-ending force play.

Harper was 2-for-3 for Ohio Wesleyan.

Soderna worked the first 6.0 innings, allowing 4 hits while striking out 2, and was charged with the loss.

Horoszko pitched the first 5.0 innings to claim the win for Wittenberg, and Maynard received a save.

The Tigers struck for 4 runs in the first inning of the nightcap, getting a 3-run homer from Mason Davis during the inning.

Ohio Wesleyan came back in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff single by Pershin, a sacrifice by Antle, and singles by Padilla and Colson to make it 4-1, but the Tigers scored a pair of unearned runs in the fourth and added a run in the sixth and 2 more in the seventh.

Sophomore lefthander Ryan Ebeling (Dublin/Coffman) was the starting and losing pitcher for the Bishops.

Austin Luther picked up the win with 4.0 innings of 1-hit relief for Wittenberg.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2