FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Baldwin Wallace University baseball team could not complete the comeback in an 8-6 loss to Alvernia (Pa.) University in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic at the Lee County Player Development Complex.

Alvernia (5-3) got out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning but the Yellow Jackets (8-2) were able to knot the game up at 1-1 in the second inning when sophomore outfielder Dudley Taw (Sheffield Lake/Brookside) came around to score on a fielder's choice by junior Academic All-OAC outfielder Reese Albright (Parma/North Royalton). The Golden Wolves added two more runs in the third for a 3-1 lead. BW would score one run in the bottom half of the inning when senior All-OAC infielder Spencer Badia (Bellaire) singled through the left side to bring home sophomore infielder Jacob Bonner (Akron/Archbishop Hoban).

However, Alvernia used a pair of two-run home runs to eventually take a 7-3 lead before adding one more run in the top of the sixth inning. BW attempted to make a comeback as junior first baseman Philip Wells (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate) singled home freshman utility player Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan) followed by a fielder's choice from junior catcher Asa Adams (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) that scored Albright, bringing the Yellow Jackets within three runs of the lead. Senior All-OAC outfielder Alex Marcum would lead things off in the bottom of the seventh with a home run, cutting the Golden Wolves' lead down to 8-6, but the attempt at another comeback would fall short in that inning as Alvernia held BW scoreless in the final two innings.

Marcum led BW offensively with a 4-for-5 day with one RBI and scoring one run. Taw was the only other Yellow Jacket with a multi-hit performance as he went 2-for-4 at the plate.

On the mound, junior right-handed pitcher Danny Cody (Medina/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) threw five innings, giving up five hits, two walks and four earned runs while punching out six batters. Junior left-handed pitcher Jack Raines (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) pitched four innings in relief, giving up five hits and three earned runs in the loss.

BW will have a quick turnaround when the Yellow Jackets take on the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Thursday, March 8, at 9 a.m. at Terry Park #3.