AUBURN, N.Y. – The fourth-seeded Baldwin Wallace University baseball team knocked out second-seeded and nationally-ranked Salisbury (Md.) University 14-3 in the consolation bracket of the NCAA Division III New York Regional, hosted by the State University of New York at Cortland at Falcon Park.
Two hit batters and an error loaded the bases in the top of the first for senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference second baseman Spencer Badia (Bellaire), who punched a two-run single into left center for an early BW (33-13 overall) lead. A third run got on the scoreboard in the third inning when senior All-OAC catcher Trent Kaltenbach (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) roped a single into right field; meanwhile, another hit batter with the bases loaded gave the Yellow Jackets a 4-0 advantage and chased the Seagulls' starter.
Badia kept hammering the Salisbury (34-12) pitching as he crushed a solo shot to right field in the top of the fourth, setting a new single-season record with the team's 43rd home run of the year. The Yellow Jackets added one run in the fifth and really opened the game up with a five-spot in the sixth to take a 11-0 lead. The Seagulls finally got on the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. A wild pitch and a two-run double from junior third baseman Kyle Pennington (Wadsworth) in the top of the ninth finished off the Yellow Jackets' scoring while Salisbury plated one run in the bottom half of the inning for a 14-3 final.
At the plate, Badia and sophomore All-OAC left fielder Dudley Taw (Sheffield Lake/Brookside) led the offensive charge with three hits apiece. Senior All-OAC center fielder Chase Knodle (Poland/Seminary), freshman shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan), junior designated hitter Philip Wells (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate), Kaltenbach and Pennington each pounded out two base hits while Pennington had a team- and career-high four runs batted in. Knodle also set the school hitting-streak record at 25 games with his double in the second inning.
Senior right handed pitcher Brandon Wysong (Bradford) worked his way through a couple of jams and only allowed two runs on five hits with four walks and a career-high five strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work. Sophomore right-hander Spencer Aukerman (Medina) pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and freshman righty Jeremy McClure (Mentor) gave up one run in the ninth inning.
BW will continue on in the consolation bracket of the NCAA Division III New York Regional against top-seeded SUNY Cortland on Sunday, May 20, at 12 p.m. at Falcon Park. The two teams were originally scheduled to play Saturday night at 8:45 p.m. but the tournament schedule was adjusted due to weather and length of the games.
