The Wilmington College baseball team has the tying run on base late in the game, but couldn't get over the hump in either game, and was swept by Mount Union Monday in Ohio Athletic Conference action at Tewksbury-Delaney Field.
Wilmington (3-30 overall, 0-16 overall) steps away from OAC action and will host Thomas More 4 p.m. Tuesday.
GAME ONE: MOUNT UNION 3, WILMINGTON 2
Wilmington had the winning run on base with one out in the ninth inning, but a sacrifice fly and strike out ended the Fightin' Quakers' threat.
Senior Roenick Whitney (Goshen, OH/Goshen) singled with one out, and back-to-back walks by junior Max Ramsey (Waynesville, OH/Waynesville) and junior pinch-hitter Luke Matthews (Centerville, OH/Centerville) had WC in business. Wilmington pulled a run closer as junior Derek Peters (Fayetteville, OH/Fayetteville) lofted a sacrifice fly to right field.
However, a strike out by Tyler McDaniel (Trenton, OH/Edgewood) brought the game to an end.
Mount Union did all of its damage in the third inning. Two straight singles started the inning, and after a fly ball, an RBI single brought home the first run. A hit batter loaded the bases, and a single brought home two more runs.
Freshman Jake Robinson (Westerville, OH/Central) opened the sixth with a single, and moved to third on a one-out double by junior Clay Cleaver (Pleasant Plain, OH/Little Miami). Robinson scored as freshman Kyle Short (Trenton, OH/Edgewood) reached on an error, but the threat came to an end with an inning-ending double play.
Junior Corey Walker (Hillsboro, OH/Hillsboro) had his best outing of the season, hurling a complete game. He surrendered just three earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and zero walks. It's the only start of the season without a walk.
Cleaver finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Short was 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.
GAME TWO: MOUNT UNION 7, WILMINGTON 4
Tyler Schrock's (Waynesville, OH/Waynesville) two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning pulled Wilmington to within one run. Unfortunately, it was as close as it would get, and the Purple Raiders added two insurance runs in the ninth to secure the win.
Cleaver started the rally with a one-out single, and a Short double had runners in scoring position leading to Schrock's big hit.
Wilmington got off a slow start as four of the first five Mount Union batters reached, two scoring, chasing starter Cole Voltz (Mt. Sterling, OH/Madison Plains). Sophomore Samuel Cranor (Cincinnati, OH/LaSalle) came in slammed the door, and was stellar for the rest of the game.
Cranor allowed five runs, three earned, in 8 2/3 innings on seven hits. He struggled with his control with seven walks.
Mount Union scored single runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings to push its advantage to 5-0.
Robinson singled with two outs in the sixth inning, stole second, and scored on a Daniel Hayes (Beavercreek, OH/Beavercreek) single. Cleaver advanced Hayes to third on a single, and Short brought home Hayes with another single. Schrock walked to load the base, but the rally came to an end with a ground out.
For the second straight game, Cleaver finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Short was 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.