LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY -- The 19th-ranked (D3baseball.com poll) Baldwin Wallace University baseball team defeated Wheaton (Ill.) College, 15-6, in the first of a three-game road trip to Spalding (Ky.) University. BW plays a doubleheader tomorrow against host Spalding (1-1) at 1 and 4 p.m.
The Yellow Jackets built a 3-0 lead after one inning and 10-1 after two frames in coasting to their first victory this season. The past two seasons, BW has appeared in the NCAA Division III National Tournament, including the school's first-ever Division III College World Series appearance in 2014.
At the plate, BW pounded ot 16 hits and outhit The Thunder, 16-9. Sophomore Spencer Badia (Bellaire) and freshman Phil Wells (Buffalo, N.Y./ St. Joseph's Collegiate) each had three base hits. Badia was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, triple, three runs batted-in and a stolen base. Wells was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two doubles and an RBI.
In addition, senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference and preseason Division III All-American designated hitter Hunter Handel (Akron/ Green), junior catcher Alex Marcum (Granville) and junior shortstop Steve Montgomery (Canton/ Central Catholic) had two hits each. Handel was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, three RBI and a stolen base. Marcum was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI. Montgomery was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI.
On the mound, senior Alex Albright (North Royalton) started and gained the win. He pitched the first five innings, allowed three base hits, a pair of runs (one earned), struck out two and walked one Wheaton batter. He was followed by sophomore Chad Keubler (Toledo/ Central Catholic) who pitched two frames, allowed three hits and four runs (one earned), struck out one and walked one. Sophomore Brandon Wysong (Bradford) and senior Matt Wittels (Lyndhurst/ Brush) each pitched a scoreless inning and struck out one apiece.
Following its two games versus Spalding tomorrow, the Yellow Jackets are back in action on Saturday, March 5 when BW will play a single game versus Anderson (Ind.) University at Spalding and en route on their annual Spring Break Trip. BW is heading south and will play six games in the State of Texas from March 7-12.
The northern schedule begins on Saturday, March 19 when BW travels to Terre Haute, Indiana to play single games against host Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology at 11 a.m. and versus Illinois Wesleyan at 2 p.m. The 2016 home-opener on Wednesday, March 23 versus Ohio Wesleyan University at Fisher Field at 4 p.m. The 2016 OAC schedule begins on Friday, March 25 with a doubleheader at OAC and Cleveland cross-town rival John Carroll University at 1 p.m.
