FT. MYERS, FL – The Wilmington College baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Bluffton in their first day of the 2016 Gene Cusic Classic. The Fightin' Quakers came back for the 4-3 win in the first game, and fell to the Beavers, 11-7, in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
Freshman Jake Hyatt (Madeira, OH/Madeira) brought home the go-ahead run with one out in the top of the 10th inning, scoring sophomore Jake Robinson (Westerville, OH/South) from first as Wilmington posted the comeback 4-3 win.
While the WC bats were in an early slumber, the Wilmington bullpen turned in their best performance of the season. They held Bluffton scoreless for 4 1/3 innings, keeping the Beavers hitless during that span. Sophomore Tyler McDaniel (Trenton, OH/Edgewood) hurled three of those scoreless, hitless innings and freshman Ryan Collett (Wilmington, OH/Clinton Massie) earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of relief.
Bluffton took the lead with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. The Beavers scored on a two-out error in the fourth and a two-out single in the sixth.
After struggling at the plate for the first seven innings, the Wilmington bats woke up with two outs in the eighth. Up to the point, the Fightin' Quakers were held to two hits with no runners getting past first.
Sophomore Corey Lugiano (Dayton, OH/Chaminade Julienne) singled and senior Corey Walker (Hillsboro, OH/Hillsboro) followed with a blooper over the shortstops head. Lugiano scored as senior Tyler Schrock (Waynesville, OH/Waynesville) singled off the pitcher, and Walker moved to third.
Robinson doubled home Walker to trim the WC deficit to one before freshman Gage Bley (Harrison, OH/Harrison) lined out to end the inning. However, the momentum had swung, and the Green and White were riding the wave.
Sophomore Kyle Short (Trenton, OH/Edgewood) drew a one-out walk, and freshman Coltin Shafer (Florence, KY/Ryle) legged out an infield hit to put the Fightin' Quakers back in business. Freshman Antonio Miller (Cincinnati, OH/Northwest) picked an opportune time for his first career hit as his blooper loaded the bases for Lugiano. After fouling off a bunt attempt, the sophomore was hit for the game-tying run. Unfortunately, Wilmington couldn't take the lead in regulation.
Freshman Jarett Trautman (Hartville, OH/Field) took the no-decision, allowed three runs – two earned – in 5 2/3 innings. He surrendered just hits with three strikeouts in his first career start.
GAME TWO
Wilmington committed eight errors, leading to seven unearned runs, as the Fightin' Quakers lost 11-7. The Fightin' Quakers, despite the troubles, were able to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.
The Beavers raced out to a 9-0 lead before Bley singled home Robinson in the bottom of the sixth. A bit of wildness and station to station baserunning enabled WC to put five on the board in the seventh. The inning featured three singles, two walks and an error with the big blow coming off the bat of Hyatt, who doubled home a pair of runs.
Bluffton gave themselves some breathing room with a pair of unearned runs in the eighth. An RBI triple by Walker cut pulled Wilmington a run closer in the eighth and then it threatened again in the ninth.
Hyatt led the inning off with a single, and after back-to-back pop ups, Miller muscled a single into right field and sophomore Tyler McDaniel (Trenton, OH/Edgewood) was hit to load the bases. However, a strikeout ended the game.
Robinson, Bley and Hyatt all had two hits with two RBI, while Miller also had two hits in the loss.
Wilmington (1-6) plays Lakeland in a non-conference doubleheader at the Player Development Complex.
