Hunter Handel Blasts 2-Run Homerun in Third Inning
Posted: May 15, 2014
MOOSIC, Pa. -- The fourth-seeded Baldwin Wallace University baseball team defeated eighth-seeded Haverford (Pa.) College, 10-2, in its second game of the 2014 NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional Game at PNC Field (The home field of the Class AAA New York Yankees affiliate the Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Railriders).
The Yellow Jackets advance to play the winner of No.2-seed Rowan (N.J.) University and No.3-seed Susquehanna (Pa.) University tomorrow (Friday, May 16) at 4:30 p.m.
BW (27-18) tied the school-record for victories in a season with 27. It marks the third straight season it has occurred. Haverford (23-19) plays the loser of the Susquehanna and Rowan tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m.
The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning when sophomore All-Ohio Athletic Conference second baseman Mark Zimmerman (Akron/ Green) singled, moved to second when the left fielder misplayed the ball, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by All-OAC first baseman Kyle Chontos (Pickerington/ North).
BW increased its lead to 3-0 in the third when Chontos walked with two outs and sophomore All-OAC designated hitter Hunter Handel (Akron/ Green) hammered his fourth home run of the season.
The Jackets threatened again in the fourth and had runners on first and third, but the Haverford third baseman made a fine diving stab off the bat of All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 3B Brad Gugliotta (Twinsburg) and the first baseman made an outstanding pickup of his throw.
Haverford cut its deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of runs on four base hits. BW came back in the top of the sixth to score a run and lead 4-2 as senior catcher Joe Hiller (Twinsburg) hit a ground-rule double, moved to third on a deep fly out to left field and scored via a suicide squeeze bunt by sophomore center fielder John Taylor (Stow/ Hudson).
The Yellow Jackets increased their lead to 7-2 in the seventh when Gugliotta singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and third on a ground out and scored when Chontos reached on an error to make it 5-2. Following a fly out, Hiller doubled to left center to score Chontos for a 6-2 lead and junior shortstop Eric Murphy (Brook Park/Midpark) doubled to left field to score Chontos for a 7-2 advantage.
The lead grew to 9-2 in the eighth as Gugliotta walked, advanced to second on a Haverford error after one out, moved to third when Handel walked and scored when Hiller walked. Chontos, who reached on the error, scored via a sacrifice fly by Murphy.
At the plate, BW was led by Hiller, Green and Zimmerman. Hiller was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two doubles and two runs batted-in. Green was 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Zimmerman was 2-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI.
In addition, Chontos scored three runs, Handel scored once, had the homer and two RBI and Murphy had a double and a pair of RBI.
On the mound, senior All-OAC pitcher Cory Waite (Willoughby/South) started and pitched his second complete game of the season, allowed eight hits, two runs (both earned), struck out six Haverford batters and allowed one walk as he improved to 7-2 this season.
The winner of each of the eight NCAA Division III regional tournaments advance to the 2014 NCAA Division III World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin from May 23-27.
FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bwyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.
Photo Courtesy of Chris Knight
