BEXLEY, Ohio – The Wilmington College baseball team snapped an 11-game losing streak by splitting an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) series at Capital University on Friday afternoon. The Fightin' Quakers took game one 4-3 while the Crusaders won the nightcap 6-2.
Capital took the lead with two runs in the third inning, but a Daniel Hayes single in the fifth cut the Fightin' Quakers' deficit in half. A Daniel Waters double in the bottom half of the inning put the Crusaders back on top by a pair of runs.
Trailing 3-1 after five complete, Joshua Chua opened the inning with a double to left field and advanced 90 feet as Jake Hyatt singled through the left side. Luke Kleindl then got Wilmington within a single run again as his single down the left field line scored Chua. After a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt from Kasey Bottorff in the next at bat put both runners in scoring position, Nick Silvis gave the visitors the lead with a two-RBI single up the middle.
Capital threatened to score in the eighth and ninth innings by getting multiple runners on base, but Wilmington's defense gave starter Jarett Trautman his first collegiate complete-game victory by ending both threats with double plays.
Trautmann allowed a dozen hits in the game while not striking out a batter but stranded nine runners on base and only allowed two earned runs. Ross Thompson took the loss for Capital allowing four earned runs and striking out seven in eight innings of work.
Silvis and Kleindl both finished 2-for-3 in game with Silvis having the two RBIs. Zackary Ary and Alexander Smith combined for seven of Capital's 12 hits in the top to spots in the Crusaders' order.
In game two, Wilmington took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second thanks to RBI-singles from Shane Hale and Bryce Fordyce. Capital clawed back with a run in the second and third to tie the game, and the hosts took the lead with a two-run fifth inning. Three innings later a two-RBI single from Drew Ellis put the game away, ensuring the hosts got at least a split of the series.
Clay Platt earned the victory allowed two earned runs in over seven innings pitched. Joseph Borkey took the save striking out four batters in his five innings of work.
Alec Robinette dropped to 3-2 with a loss in his first start. Lance Fleischman did provide the Quakers with 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball in relief.
Offensively, Kleindl and Joe Legin recorded multi-hit games for Wilmington. Shayne Lyons led Capital going 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Wilmington, which earned its first OAC victory over the season with the series split, stands at 9-19 overall and 1-9 in OAC play. The Quakers return to action on Sunday for a two-game OAC series against Marietta College. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
