WILMINGTON, Ohio – Kaleb Stines pitched a complete game in game two to give the Wilmington College baseball team a twinbill split with Ohio Northern University (ONU) at Tewksbury-Delaney Field on Saturday. The Polar Bears took game one 13-1 in eight innings while the Fightin' Quakers won game two 8-6.
Game one did not start well for the Quakers as an error gave the Polar Bears a baserunner to open the game. That run came around to score immediately afterwards as Will Davis hit the left field fence with a stand-up double. Wilmington starter Luke Chappie got the first out with a via a strikeout, but ONU's cleanup hitter, Matthew Burkett, worked a long at bat and earned an infield single. Logan Stevens stepped into the batter's box next and hit a no-doubter to right center. A flyout and groundout that followed ended the inning.
Thanks to aggressive baserunning in the top of the second which saw a Polar Bear advance from first to second on a flyout, the visitors took a 5-0 advantage as an RBI-single followed. Wilmington got a runner in scoring position with two outs in each of the first two innings, but couldn't deliver an RBI-hit.
Both starting pitchers – Luke Chappie for Wilmington and Nate Bye for ONU – as both teams combined for just three hits over the next three-and-a-half innings. The hosts got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, however, as Jesse Reliford tripled to right center for his second hit of the game. The next batter, Moses Garza, did his job by hitting a sacrifice fly to center field.
Up 5-1 after six complete, ONU put together a two-out rally in the top of the seventh. The Polar Bears loaded the bases thanks to consecutive bunt singles down the third base line as well as a hit by pitch. Chappie got out of the jam, however, striking out Burkett looking. In the bottom of the inning, it was the Quakers' turn to put together a two-out rally. Joe Legin single down the right field line and two walks, the first of the game for either side, loaded the bases. The end of the inning was the same as the previous half, however, as Owen Baumann struckout looking.
The Polar Bears broke the game wide open in the eighth, however, plating eight runs on eighth hits to end the game in eight innings.
Bye earned the win allowing one earned run in 6.2 innings with five strikeouts. Devin Johnson relieved Bye with the tying run up to the plate to earn the save while recording four outs. Chappie took the loss allowing eight earned runs on 13 hits with three strikeouts. Lincoln Howard pitched the final inning, allowing four hits and two earned runs.
Legin finished 3-for-3 to lead the Wilmington offense while Reliford had two extra-base hits. For ONU, Davis went 2-for-3 three two RBIs while Stevens and Corey McMann both hit home runs with McMann's being of the grand slam variety.
In the nightcap, Wilmington nearly broke the game wide open in the first, but Kelsey struck out with the bases loaded. ONU plated a single run in the top of the second, but the Quakers regained the lead in the bottom of the third. Tyler Shaneyfelt singled to left field and stolen second to open the inning, and Shaneyfelt scored on an error. Two batters later, Caleb Scott launched a deep double to right center, scoring Baumann.
The Polar Bears, now trailing 2-1, opened the fourth with four straight hits. In total, ONU batted around and plated five runs on five hits alongside one Quaker error. In the bottom of the inning, Wilmington got three of those runs back as Shaneyfelt grounded out to score a run, Baumann hit an RBI-single to center field and ONU committed an error.
Down 6-5, neither team scored for two innings until Wilmington broke the scoreless streak in the bottom of the seventh in the most unusual way. The Quakers wouldn't record a single hit in the inning, but instead plate two runs thanks to getting hit by three pitches, draw two walks and scoring on a wild pitch. The hosts would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Shaneyfelt scored after stealing another base, and Stines, alongside his middle infield, shut the door with two fielder's choice putouts on the ninth.
Stines went the distance to earn his first win of the season, striking out six while allowing six earned runs on 10 hits. Hayden Hache, who relieved starter Tim Knap Schaefer in the fourth inning, allowed two earned runs in 3.2 innings for his first loss of the season.
Offensively, the top of Wilmington's lineup did most of the damage as Shaneyfelt went 3-for-4 with an RBI, two stolen bases and two runs scored at the top of the lineup while the Quakers' two-hole hitter, Baumann, tallied two hits.
Chayten Overholt led ONU with a 3-for-4 performance in defeat.
Wilmington (4-16, 3-13 OAC) will head to Ada for two games at ONU tomorrow (Sunday).
