RIVER FOREST, Ill. – In game six of the NCAA Regionals, the Baldwin Wallace University baseball team dropped a back and forth affair with host No. 1-nationally ranked Concordia University of Chicago (Ill.), 14-13 on Cougar Field.
BW (27-16) scored 13 runs on 16 hits, in a game that took 10 innings to complete. The Yellow Jackets plated a run in the first, four in the third, three in the fourth, three in the fifth, and two in the second. Concordia Chicago (40-8) scored 14 runs off 19 hits.
The offense was led by senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference first baseman Philip Wells (Buffalo, N.Y./Saint Joseph's Collegiate) as he went 2-for-5 with a two-run homerun in the fifth, and a career-high five runs batted-in(RBI). Sophomore All-OAC shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan) went 3-for-4 at the plate with a three-run homerun in the third, and scored three runs. Senior All-OAC second baseman Kyle Pennington (Wadsworth) had a 3-for-5 day with a double and also scored three runs. Junior left fielder Jacob Bonner (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) went 3-for-6 with an RBI double in the third, and scored a run. Senior two-time Academic All-OAC right fielder Reese Albright (Parma/North Royalton) went 2-for-6 with a double, an RBI single to right center in the fourth, and scored a run. Senior All-OAC catcher Asa Adams (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) went 2-for-5 with two doubles and scored three runs. Junior designated hitter Sam Sustersic (Richfield/Revere) recorded an RBI with his bases loaded hit-by-pitch in the fourth. Junior Academic All-OAC center fielder Brandon Dim (Solon) tallied a hit and a run scored.
Junior left-handed pitcher Spencer Burg (New Albany) made his first start of the season in the Regional Championship game and dealt three innings where he allowed four runs off seven hits and struck out five. Freshman righty Garret Miller (McMurray) entered in the fourth and allowed four runs off two hits. Junior righty Racco DiLauro (Akron/Springfield) was next in line as he tossed five innings and allowed five runs off seven hits and struck out three. Junior Academic All-OAC lefty Michael Hubert (Cincinnati/Oak Hills) finished the final 1.2 innings and allowed one run off three hits and struck out one.
BW will compete in the winner-take-all Regional Championship against host, Concordia Chicago, tomorrow May 20 at 11 a.m CDT/12 p.m EST.
