WILMINGTON, Ohio – The Wilmington College baseball team split a doubleheader with the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford (Pitt.-Bradford) on Sunday, losing game one 12-0 and winning game two 5-2.
In game one, the Fightin' Quakers could not solve Ryan Boyer as the Panthers' starter hurled a complete-game shutout while yielding just four hits and striking out five. Boyer was aided by his defense as Pitt.-Bradford turned two 1-6-3 double plays in the first three innings.
The Panthers got a single run in the second and two in the fourth, but broke the game wide open with a four-run inning on four hits in the fifth. Wilmington was retired in order in the fifth and sixth innings, and any hope of a comeback was silenced in the top of the seventh as Pitt.-Bradford plated five runs on five hits to seal the win.
Lance Fleischman dropped to 1-1 on the season with the loss, allowing five earned runs in 4.1 innings with five strikeouts. Adam Doerger, Tyler McDaniel and Jesse Walker also surrendered runs in relief.
Five Panthers recorded multi-hit games including Brody Wood's 3-for-3 performance with three runs scored. Nick Slivis, Wilmington's lead-off hitter, finished 2-for-3.
In game two, Pitt.-Bradford scored a run on two hits and an error in the top of the first, but Wilmington answered as Joshua Chua launched a two-run home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the inning. Neither team would score for the next four innings until a Panther error and an RBI-single from Jake Hyatt gave the Quakers a 3-1 lead after six complete.
After a scoreless seventh inning, Pitt.-Bradford loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth, but a 6-4-3 double play and a fantastic defensive play from Silvis at third base got the Quakers out of the inning with the lead.
Wilmington stretched its lead back to three runs using an RBI-single from Bley and an RBI-double from Luke Kleindl in the bottom of the eighth. Alec Robinette slammed the door shut in the top of the ninth, earning his first save of the season.
Jarett Trautman, the Quakers' starter, allowed just one earned run in seven innings while striking out eight Panthers to earn the win. Robinette picked up the two-inning save.
"If you pitch well, you give your team a chance to win," Head Baseball Coach Dan Cleaver said. "That was the difference from game one to game two. [Jarett] Trautman and [Alec] Robinette were outstanding once again."
Chua and Kleindl both had two hits for Wilmington while Austin Parent had two hits for Pitt.-Bradford.
Wilmington (8-7) open Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play at Muskingum University on Saturday.
