WILMINGTON, Ohio – The Wilmington College baseball team earned an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) split with Muskingum University on Friday afternoon. The Fighting Muskies took game one 13-1 in seven innings while the Fightin' Quakers rebounded to win game two 16-12.
In game one, Muskingum tagged Wilmington starter Luke Chappie with three runs on first hits in each of the first two innings to build a 6-0 lead. Chappie settled in afterwards, however, holding the Muskies scoreless over the next four innings. The Quakers' offense mustered one run during that time on a single to center field from Mac Davis that scored Evan Kelsey.
Wilmington's bullpen could not hold, however, as Chappie existed after one out in the seventh. Caleb Mervar, who relieved Chappie, gave up five hits and three earned runs credited to him. In total, Muskingum plated seven runs in the inning to seal game one.
Despite nine strikeouts, Chappie took the loss allowing nine earned runs on 11 hits in 6.1 innings. Jake Norris went the distance for Muskingum, striking out eight with high hits in seven innings.
The Muskies put together 16 hits including three from each Matt Stewart, Devin Ryan and Allex Santacroce as well as a home run from Drew Dittoe. Reliford, Owen Baumann and Kelsey tallied two hits each for the Quakers with Reliford having the squad's only extra-base hit, a double in the third inning.
The nightcap appeared to similar to game one in the early going as Muskingum plated two runs in both the first and second innings. Wilmington's offense got going much earlier in game two, however, as Evan Kelsey plated both Owen Baumann and Reliford with a double to right center in the bottom of the first. The Quakers wouldn't score in the second, but consecutive singles from Joe Legin and Jared Lammert to take a 5-4 lead.
Both teams plated a single run in the fourth, but RBI-singles to center field from both Brandon Smith and Reliford put the hosts on top 8-5 after five complete. Things then got wild in the sixth inning, an inning that took over an hour of actual time. Muskingum opened the inning with a flyout, but seven consecutive hits followed. The Quakers would get out of the half-inning, but not after the Muskies had turned a three-run deficit into a three-run lead (11-8).
Wilmington delivered the knockout punch in the bottom of the sixth, however, as the first nine Quakers to bat reached base. In total, the hosts scored eight runs on four hits and used one Musky error. Muskingum would score one run in the ninth, but GlenAllen Anderson forced a flyout to right field to end the game.
In a game that was not friendly to either pitching side, Anderson earned the win, allowing one run on five hits over the final 3.2 innings pitched. Parker Brown took the loss for Muskingum, allowing five earned runs on three hits without recording an out.
The Quakers pounded out 16 hits as a squad including a 4-for-5 performance with three runs scored from Baumann in the lead-off spot. Lammert also had a stellar offensive game, going 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
The Muskies had 19 hits as a team including four from each Matt Stewart and Devin Ryan, the later of which had five RBIs.
Wilmington (2-11, 1-8 OAC) will travel to New Concord for the final two games of the series tomorrow (Saturday).
