TIFFIN, Ohio -- The Baldwin Wallace University baseball team opened its home-and-home weekend series with Heidelberg University as it split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at Peaceful Valley.
(BW 6-4, 5-1 OAC) won the first game by a final score of 7-4. Heidelberg (5-5, 2-4 OAC) won the nightcap in eight innings by a final score of 12-2.
In game one, the Yellow Jackets scored seven runs on 16 hits as they played one run in the second, third, fifth and seven innings and added three runs in the eighth, including a solo home run from senior second baseman Tony LoParo (Avon/Elyria Catholic). The Student Princes scored four runs on six hits as they pushed three runs across in the third and one in the sixth.
BW was led by sophomore third baseman Chris Viamonte (Naples, Fla./Lely) as he went 4-for-5 with a triple, run scored and run batted-in (RBI). Senior All-American center fielder Dudley Taw (Sheffield Lake/Brookside) was 3-for-5 with a double, one run scored. Senior All-OAC short stop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan), who is this week's OAC Hitter of the Week, went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, one runs scored and two RBIs.
On the mound, sophomore right hander Dawson Gabe (Lawrence, Ind.) pitched six innings and allowed four runs on four hits with six strikeouts and three walks. Junior righty Maxwell Cebulak (Oakmont, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) earned the victory as he pitched 2.2 innings and no runs on two hits with four strikeouts. Sophomore right hander Ethan Boyko (North Royalton) earned the save as he pitched one-third of an inning with one strikeout.
In game two, the Yellow Jackets scored two runs on five hits as they plated one run in the third and one in the seventh. Heidelberg scored 12 runs on 15 hits as it pushed two runs across the plate in the first, three in the second, one in the fourth, four in the seventh and two in the eighth.
BW got a base knock each from LoParo, Taw, senior outfielder Jacob Bonner (Akron/Archbishop Hoban), junior first baseman Alexis Castillo (Sunrise, Fla. /The Sagemont School) and junior pitcher Drew Wilson (Sagamore Hills/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy).
On the mound, Wilson took the loss as he allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in 1.2 innings pitched with three strikeouts. Boyko then came in and pitched 2.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Sophomore left hander Nik Baldis (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) was up next and he pitched 2.2 innings and allowed three runs on three hits with two strikeouts. Senior Academic All-OAC righty Scott Kirchhoff (Toledo/Sylvania Northview), freshman righty Drew Schaly (Ashland) and freshman righty Trevor Leighty (Wooster) each pitched a third of an inning and allowed three runs on three hits.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Sunday, March 28 when they close out the OAC home-and-home series with a doubleheader against Heidelberg on Fisher Field at 1 p.m.
