LANCASTER, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team traveled to a neutral site in Lancaster, Ohio for a doubleheader against Ohio Christian University and Roosevelt University. The Battling Bishops fell behind early in game one against Ohio Christian, but rallied back, scoring nine runs over a four-inning span to defeat the Trailblazers 9-2. In a back-and-forth game two, a decisive sixth-inning rally by the Lakers proved to be the difference as Ohio Wesleyan fell just short, 9-8.
OWU advances to 6-5 on the season. Ohio Christian drops to 8-11 overall, while Roosevelt moves to 4-11.
GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 9, OHIO CHRISTIAN 2
While the Red and Black historically have had Ohio Christian's number—winning all four previous matchups—the Trailblazers looked ready to flip the script early. A sacrifice fly and an RBI single gave Ohio Christian a quick 2-0 edge in the opening frame. However, it was all Ohio Wesleyan from there.
With just one away in the second inning, Nate Coyler ignited the offense with a single. Two batters later,
Marcus Suwinski roped an RBI double to left field to bring Coyler across and cut the deficit in half. Looking to do some more damage in the top of the third, the Bishops used a pair of walks and a single from
Alex Snyder to put three ducks on the pond.
Zane Vitense ripped a two-RBI single into left field, bringing around
Michael Malone and
Colton Moone to take the lead. Moments later,
Henry Isaacs doubled to bring Snyder and Vitense home, giving OWU a 5-2 advantage after a four-run third inning.
In the fourth, a double play gave the Trailblazers two quick outs, and it appeared to be a short half of the inning for the Bishops. However, a single from Moone sparked a two-out rally. A two-run shot from Snyder added two more for Ohio Wesleyan–his first of the season and eighth of his career. Vitense decided to join the party with a homer himself, marking back-to-back blasts and forcing Ohio Christian to make a pitching change. OWU led 8-2 after four innings of play.
The Red and Black tacked on a final insurance run in the top of the fifth, as Snyder tallied his third RBI of the game with a sac fly to bring
Jack Bates home. The Trailblazers threatened in the bottom on the seventh, loading the bases via back-to-back singles from Andrew and Matthew Keener. Nathan However,
Nathan Hurley slammed the door shut, forcing a flyout on the first pitch of the next batter to give the Bishops a 9-2 game-one victory.
Parker Tomlin (W, 1-0) picked up his first win of the season, going five innings, allowing just five hits and two runs.
Nathan Hurley (1-1) finished the game, pitching one inning and punching out one.
Snyder and Vitense anchored the lineup with identical stat lines, as both players went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. The duo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning.
Suwinski was the final other Bishop with a multi-hit performance, going 2-for-2 with an RBI and drawing two walks.
Isaacs had one hit in four at-bats, including two RBI.
Moone finished 1-for-2 and came around to score twice.
Coyler went 1-for-3 and scored once.
Malone drew a trio of walks and scored a run.
Jack Bates reached base twice via the walk and crossed the plate once.
GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 8, ROOSEVELT 9
Roosevelt struck first with a two-out solo shot from Ian Bagaconza in the opening frame. The Bishops were quick to respond however, as Nate Coyler singled to leadoff the second inning followed by a
Nik Hilton two-run blast to give the squad a 2-1 advantage.
The Lakers quickly found their footing in the third, as a run came across to score after an error, which ultimately opened a scoring party. Moments later, a two-run shot from Maxwell Bowers put Roosevelt ahead 4-2. A few batters later, an RBI single brought one more across, capping off a four-run inning for the Lakers. In the bottom half, back-to-back doubles from
Michael Malone and
Austin Biggin cut the lead to 5-3.
Roosevelt added to their tally in the top of the fourth inning, pushing a run across via a pair of leadoff doubles. After loading the bases with one out, the Lakers scratched another run across on an Alejandro Lucas sacrifice. The Red and Black continued to answer Roosevelt's blows in the bottom half, as back-to-back RBI singles by Biggin and Snyder brought two more home to cut the deficit to 7-5.
The Bishops took their first lead of the contest in the fifth.
Marcus Suwinski and
Henry Isaacs roped two singles, then
Nik Hilton was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Two batters later, Suwinski scored on a passed ball to bring the Bishops within one. After the Lakers made their second pitching change of the inning, Biggin singled once again to bring home Hilton and Isaacs, giving the Red and Black an 8-7 lead with two innings remaining.
Unfortunately for the Bishops, a leadoff double set the stage for Bowers in the sixth, who launched his second two-run homer of the game to push the Lakers ahead, 9-7. Ohio Wesleyan could not piece together another rally to respond, ultimately dropping the second game by a final of 9-7.
Jacob Lowery (L, 0-2) got the start in game two, punching out three in three innings.
Nate Cory (0-1) was the first out of the pen, giving up one hit and striking out one in an inning of relief.
J.J. Earley was next, punching out one and throwing a hitless inning.
Owen Tornow came in next, pitching 0.2 innings.
Hank Holman finished the game, tossing 1.1 innings and striking out one.
Biggin led the offensive attack, finishing a remarkable 4-for-4 with four RBI.
Malone went 2-for-3 and came around to score twice.
Coyler was 2-for-4 with one run scored.
Snyder finished 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Hilton went 1-for-2–including a home run–with two RBI and two runs scored.
Isaacs had one hit and came around to score twice.
Suwinski was 1-for-4 with one run scored.
Vitense had one hit in four at-bats.
UP NEXT
The Bishops are right back in action tomorrow, squaring off against Roosevelt and Ohio Christian for another doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., with the nightcap set to follow at 4 p.m.
