WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Wilmington College baseball team fell to John Carroll University (JCU) in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) doubleheader on Thursday, falling 18-4 in game one and 10-4 in game two from Tewksbury-Delaney Field.
In game one, the Blue Streaks scored in the first six innings including a three-run third inning and a four-run fourth inning. Trailing 10-1 after the top of the fifth inning, Luke Kleindl launched his first collegiate home run over the right center field fence of Tewksbury-Delaney Field. Nick Silvis also delivered an RBi-single in the inning, scoring Kyle Short.
Neither team scored a run in the sixth inning, but unfortunately for the Fightin' Quakers, the Blue Streaks tagged Wilmington's bullpen for four runs in the seven inning and four in the ninth inning.
Starter Joey Hollback took the loss allowing seven earned runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings pitched. Steven Vrost earned the victory with a quality start of three earned runs in seven innings.
Kaleb Hubner was the lone bright spot for Wilmington's pitching staff in game one, striking out one and allowing no hits in one inning pitched.
Wilmington finished with 11 hits in the game including a 3-for-4 performance from Nick Silvis and a 2-for-3 outing with two RBIs and that home run from Kleindl. John Carroll put together 18 hits with Aaron Zawadki going 4-for-6 with five RBIs and five runs scored. Dominic Mittiga finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs.
In game two, the Blue Streaks struck for a run in the top of the first, but the Quakers countered with an RBI-double from Kasey Bottorff scoring Kleindl in the bottom of the second.
Wilmington's offense would be held in check for the next three innings as the JCU starter John Merrill faced the minimum in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Jared Ferenchak the hosts within striking distance by avoiding the big inning, but the Blue Streaks hit a solo home run in the fifth and Mike McCarty delivered a two-RBI single in the sixth.
Trailing 5-1, Wilmington got two runners on base in the sixth inning, and after a wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position, and RBI-groundout from Kleindl and an RBI-single from Jake Hyatt scored two Quaker runs.
Patrick Keohone led off the seventh with a solo home run for John Carroll, but Wilmington, trailing 6-2, responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning courtesy of and RBI-single from Silvis and a safety squeeze from Joe Legin. The Blue Streaks' offense wasn't done, however, as the visitors struck for two runs in both the eighth and ninth innings to seal the victory.
Jared Ferenchak took the loss allowing five earned runs in six innings pitched. Alec Robinette and Lance Fleischman made relief appearances for the Quakers. John Merrill picked up the victory allowing four earned runs in seven innings. Cameron Mayle and Andrew Steele closed the door for JCU.
Wilmington finished with eight hits including two from both Hyatt and Bottorff. JCU put together 14 hits with three of them being from Derek Penman.
The Quakers (8-14, 0-6 OAC) travel to Baldwin Wallace University for a two-game series tomorrow (Friday). First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
