BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College baseball team split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader with rival Otterbein College today (Wednesday, April 8, 2009) at Fishbaugh Field in Westerville. The Cardinals won the first game, 8-7, and the Yellow Jackets won the nightcap, 6-4.
The split evens B-W's record to 11-11 overall and 3-5 in the OAC. The Yellow Jackets have also won seven of their last 10 games. Otterbein is now 9-8 overall and 2-3 in the OAC.
In the first game, B-W jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning but the Cardinals came back to take the lead with three of their own in the bottom half of that frame. B-W regained the lead at 5-3 with a four-run second inning. Otterbein tied the game at 5-5 with a pair of runs in the fourth and took the lead at 7-5 with another pair in the fifth and led 8-5 with one more tally in the sixth. B-W scored its final two runs in the top of the seventh, but it wasn't enough to pull out the win.
Offensively, the Yellow Jackets were led by senior two-time All-OAC first baseman Riley Kreisher (Conneaut/ Ashtabula Edgewood) who blasted a pair of homeruns, his team-leading fifth and sixth of the season.Kreisher also had a double and four runs batted-in. In addition, senior ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-American centerfielder Cody Kidd (Wellington) had three hits, including a double, two runs scored, an RBI and a stoilen base.
On the mound, junior right hander Scott Luthman (Celina) started and pitched the first five and one-third innings. He allowed seven runs (five earned), struck out three and walked one. He was followed to the mound by freshman Jon Connolly (Brook Park/ Middleburg Heights Midpark) who pitched the final one and two-third innings and allowed one run (earned). Luthman suffered his first loss of the season against three wins.
In the second game, B-W again jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a run in the first, but Otterbein tied the score at 1-1 with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame. B-W built a 2-1 lead with a run in the third, led 5-1 with three more in the fourth and built a 6-1 lead with its final run in the sixth. Otterbein crept to within 6-2 with a run in the sixth and made the game interesting with two runs in the ninth before BW shut the door and earned the split.
Offensively, junior Scott Nealon (Avon Lake) led the way with three hits in five at-bats, including a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Kidd added three more hits, including a homer. In addition, Kreisher and sophomore rightfielder Sam Wasylyshyn (North Ridgeville) each had a pair of hits.
On the mound, senior righthander Jim Jaskowak (Grove City, Pa./ Grove City) started and pitched the first eight and one-third innings and earned the victory, his second this season against three losses. He allowed five hits, four runs (all earned), struck out three and walked three. Junior righthanded 'stopper' Brian Boveington (Stow/ Stow-Munroe Falls) relieved Jaskowak after the Cardinals scored the two ninth inning runs. Boveington then pitched the final two-third innings, allowing one hit and striking out two batters, to shut the door on the Cardinals and earn his second save of the season.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action tomorrow, Thursday, April 9 when they travel to University Circle to play Cleveland cross-town and non-league rival Case Western Reserve University at 4:00 p.m. B-W ends the week at home on Saturday, April 11 by hosting an OAC twinbill against Capital University at Heritage Field in Berea at 1:00 p.m.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at (440) 826-2327 and via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Nick Minerd by phone at (440) 826-2780 and via e-mail at nminerd@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Bob Fisher, please call him at (440) 826-2182 in his office and e-mail him at rfisher@bw.edu. More information may be accessed on the B-W athletics page atwww.bw.edu/athletics.
