WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Wilmington College baseball team split an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) twinbill with Muskingum University on Sunday, falling 10-8 in game one and rebounding to win the nightcap 18-2 in seven innings. The Fightin' Quakers also honored their seniors prior to the games.
In game one, things got off to a good start for the hosts as the first four Quakers reached base. Both Tyler Shaneyfelt and Zach Christensen singled to shortstop with a Shaneyfelt steal of second in between. With runners at first and third, Wilmington Head Coach Tony Vittorio called for the double steal, and it succeeded as the first run scored. A Jared Lammer RBI-single followed, and after a successful pick-off of Lammert at first base, Caleb Scott hit a towering home run over the left field fence.
Neither team scored in next two innings, but the Muskies delivered a two-out hit in the fourth as Nate Keiser doubled to deep left center field on the first pitch score two runs. Wilmington got both runs back in the bottom of the fourth, however, as consecutive RBI-singles from Noah Martin and Evan Kelsey scored a pair of runs.
Trailing 7-2, Muskingum blew the game wide open with a seven-run sixth inning that featured four hits and a Quaker error to flip a five-run deficit into two-run lead. Wilmington would plate a run in the bottom of the seventh on a wild pitch, but wouldn't again as the visitors took game one.
The Quakers out-hit the Muskies 15-10 in the game, but Wilmington allowed 13 free passes (10 walks and three hit batters) that proved to be the difference. Despite striking out seven, Aaron Boster took the loss, allowing five earned runs on six hits and six walks in five innings of work. Shaneyfelt also struggled with command, walking four with four hits in four innings to go along with five strikeouts.
Jake Norris improved to 3-3 on the season by scattering 13 hits over seven innings with five earned runs and two strikeouts. Clark Jennings pitched the final two innings to notch his second save of the season.
Lammert went a perfect 4-for-4 on the game with an RBI while Dominic Depa had a three-hit game one. Aaron Burns (a double) and Scott (the home run) provided the extra-base hits for WC. Lead-off hitter Devin Ryan went 2-for-6 for the Muskies with a double and a three-run home run to right field that started the monstrous sixth inning for the visitors.
The nightcap began just as game one did, with multiple Quakers reaching base, but this time, there wouldn't be a pick-off or a double play to save the Muskies. Wilmington batted around and then some, sending 15 batters to the plate. In total, the Quakers plated nine runs on nine hits that included three Musky errors. Scott, Depa, Burns and Jacob Kalt all had RBI-hits while the first two had multiple RBI-hits in the inning.
The Quakers would go on to score multiple runs in the second and third innings and ensure the game ending in seven innings with a four-run sixth.
Chappie picked up his second win of the year, allowing just five hits with three strikeouts over five innings. Senior Tre Nixon pitched a perfect seventh tallying two strikeouts in the process. Jaxon Rinkes allowed five hits and six earned runs without recording an out for Muskingum to take the loss.
Wilmington pounded 19 hits in the game with eight Quakers entering the hit column. Christensen went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the second spot in the order while Scott was 3-for-5 with four RBIs batting cleanup. Burns and Kelsey went 3-for-4 each with a combined three doubles while Depa drove in three runs on the game.
Ryan Schwartz and Andy Eurez led the Muskies with two hits each in defeat.
Wilmington (19-18, 7-9 OAC) will open the final week of the season against Miami University-Hamilton on Tuesday.
