LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. – The Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team traveled to Georgia on Saturday, opening a four-game series against Covenant University with a doubleheader. The Battling Bishops took the seven-inning opener in commanding fashion, 6-2, but ultimately dropped a narrow 7-6 decision in game two.
OWU moves to 3-4 in the early season, while Covenant advances to 7-6.
GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 6, COVENANT 2
The Red and Black wasted no time applying pressure, getting their first two batters aboard via a leadoff hit-by-pitch and a walk. Moments later,
Zane Vitense ripped a two-strike single to load the bases with just one away.
Matt Spencer got the Bishops on the board with an RBI groundout to shortstop. In the bottom half, Covenant responded with a run of their own on a two-out RBI single by Daniel Counts. OWU threatened again in the third inning with two runners in scoring position and just one away, but a pair of strikeouts squashed the momentum.
A two-out rally brought two more Bishops across in the fourth. After Covenant walked the bases loaded, Vitense grounded to the shortstop who could not come up with it, allowing
Josh Bercaw and
Alex Snyder to score. In the bottom of the fifth, the Scots knocked on the door again, as runners were on second and third with two outs.
Parker Tomlin forced a ground ball to get out of the jam and keep the game at 3-1 in favor of the Bishops.
The Red and Black loaded the bases once again in the sixth, looking to tack on insurance runs. They did exactly that, extending the lead on a sacrifice fly to center by Spencer and a run-scoring single off the bat of
Luke Johnson.
Michael Malone capped the scoring for the Bishops with his first collegiate solo shot in the top of the seventh, extending the lead to 6-1. In the bottom half, Covenant plated one more run, but OWU quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback to secure the 6-2 victory.
Parker Tomlin (1-0) went six innings, giving up five hits and one run while punching out seven. He collected his first win of the season.
Logan Schnell closed it out, pitching the final inning.
Colton Moone led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Zane Vitense also had two hits, finishing 2-for-4.
Matt Spencer had one hit and two RBI.
Michael Malone finished with one hit, one RBI, and two runs scored.
Luke Johnson had one hit, one RBI and drew one walk.
Josh Bercaw had one hit, scored once, and drew a walk.
Alex Snyder drew two walks and scored twice.
GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 6, COVENANT 7
The Bishops carried their game-one momentum into game two, scoring two in the first inning.
Nate Colyer drove in
Alex Snyder with a double, and
Zane Vitense later scored on a wild pitch. The Scots came roaring back in the bottom half, piecing together back-to-back RBI hits to even the game at two. In the second inning, a
Luke Johnson infield single loaded the bases for
Alex Snyder, who ripped a two-run single up the middle to reclaim a 4-2 lead. Covenant tacked on one more in the bottom half to cut the deficit in half.
In the bottom of the third, a pair of two out hits brought two more across for the Scots. An infield single followed by a double gave Covenant a 5-4 lead, their first of the day. A solo blast from Ryan MacLellan in the fourth extended their advantage to 6-4. However, the Red and Black fought back in the sixth inning.
Henry Isaacs plated Colyer with a double, and later came around to score himself, knotting the game at six. The Scots immediately looked to answer in the bottom half of the frame, putting runners on second and third with just one away. Moments later, a sacrifice fly bought a run across to give Covenant a 7-6 lead. Ohio Wesleyan was unable to gain any momentum in the final three innings, falling by a final of 7-6.
Jacob Lowery got the nod in game two, going four innings and striking out two.
Nate Cory (L, 0-1) was the first to relieve Lowery, going 1.1 innings and striking out one. Tyler Matthews followed with 1.2 innings, not allowing a single baserunner and striking out one. J.J Earley pitched the final inning.
Alex Snyder led the attack in game two, going 3-for-4, with two RBI and scoring one run.
Nate Colyer and
Henry Isaacs both finished with one hit, one RBI and one run scored.
Zane Vitense had one hit, scored once and drew a walk.
Drew Newman finished with a hit and RBI.
Luke Johnson had one hit.
Michael Malone and
Darren Krider each scored one run.
UP NEXT
The Bishops and Scots return to action on Monday to close out their four-game series with another doubleheader. First pitches are scheduled for 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.
