Posted: Mar 13, 2021
DAYTON, Ohio – The Wilmington College baseball team, playing majority underclassmen, hung with senior-laden Otterbein University for two games, but the Cardinals came out on top in both contests, winning game one 5-2 and the nightcap 8-5 on Saturday.
The non-conference games were played at Day Air Ballpark, the home of the Dayton Dragons.
The Fightin' Quakers got things going in the top of the first as Tyler Shaneyfelt battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk and later stole a base. After an out, Caleb Scott singled home Shaneyfelt for the first run of the game. The Cardinals answered in the bottom half with a Luke Barber stand-up, RBI-double to left center. Both teams would get multiple runners on in the third, but neither could deliver a hit with runners in scoring position.
Both starting pitchers – Luke Chappie for Wilmington and Collin Hoffmann for Otterbein – found their command in the middle innings as batters were retired in order. Travis Burson relieved Hoffmann in the sixth, and the Quakers took advantage. Shaneyfelt started off the inning with a walk, and advanced to second via a successful sacrifice bunt by Jesse Reliford and took third base on a wild pitch. Scott delivered for Wilmington once again, hitting a sacrifice fly to center field scoring the go-ahead run.
Chappie pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh, but after a walk to Luke Barber to begin the eighth, the sophomore's outing was done. The Quaker bullpen couldn't hold the lead, however, as Otterbein scored four runs on two hits to take a 5-2 victory.
Chappie earned a no decision despite his quality start of two earned runs allowed in seven-plus innings to go along with five strikeouts. Hoffmann had four strikeouts and a hit allowed in five innings while reliever Burson earned the victory, allowing one hit and five strikeouts. Lincoln Howard too the loss for Wilmington, walking the only batter he faced.
Reliford and Scott had the hits for Wilmington while Shaneyfelt, despite not getting a hit, reached base three times and scored both runs. Barber finished 2-of-4 for Otterbein with an RBI while four other Cardinals had one hit each.
In game two, Wilmington scored a single run in each of the first three innings on RBI-singles from Scott, Evan Kelsey and Luke Kleindl. Otterbein answered with a four-run third inning with three unearned runs coming via a Quaker error. The Cardinals would tack on one more in the fifth and two in the bottom of the seventh.
Trailing 7-3, Wilmington plated two runs, thanks to a sacrifice fly from Jacob Feltner and another RBI-single from Kelsey. With the tying run on base, the Cardinals went to Nick Meyer for the four-out save.
Aaron Boster took the loss in his first collegiate start, allowing one earned run in three innings pitched. Kaleb Stines pitched 3.1 innings in relief and allowed just two earned runs, but both Quaker hurlers were plagued with a combined nine walks. Caleb Mervar tallied the final four outs. Cody Goletz earned the win in relief for Otterbein, allowing just one hit in three innings pitched.
Scott and Kleindl recorded multi-hit games for Wilmington while Dmitri Collaros went 3-for-4 in the leadoff position for Otterbein. Will Johnson, Matthew Gibson and Zak Repar all and two hits.
The two teams will play again tomorrow (Sunday) at Day Air Ballpark beginning at 11 a.m.
