By: Alex McKeon
BEREA, Ohio – Following a COVID-19 shortened season, Baldwin Wallace University baseball is back and looking to return to the top of the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Yellow Jackets were 5-6 at the abrupt conclusion of last season but earned a sensational win over Division I school Butler University in the process.
Head Coach Brian Harrison prepares for his 11th season at the helm and will look to get a crack at OAC competition for the first time in almost two years. The Yellow Jackets will sport an upperclassman heavy lineup, featuring nine seniors and 10 juniors.
Headlining some of the returners are senior shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan) and outfielder Dudley Taw (Sheffield Lake/Brookside). Both players have First Team All-OAC distinctions under their belts (Taw in 2018 and Ludwick in 2019) and were off to hot starts in 2020 before the cancellation. Ludwick hit .372 with eight RBI and five stolen bases, while Taw hit .326 with two home runs and 11 RBI, with each player competing in 11 games. Utilityman Jacob Bonner (Akron/Archbishop Hoban), first baseman Dom Davis (Coraopolis, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) and Tony LoParo (Avon/Elyria Catholic) combined for two home runs and nine RBI on the shortened season and round out the class of senior position players.
The Yellow Jackets will lean on several accomplished senior pitchers to supplement the offense. Senior Spencer Berg (New Albany) struck out 15 batters in just 13.2 innings pitched in the shortened season and will be relied upon for starting pitching depth right out of the gate. Seniors Max Adams (Massillon/Washington) and Scott Kirchhoff (Toledo/Sylvania Northview) each split time between starting and relieving and will play key roles on this staff. Senior Jeremy McClure (Mentor) will also see an increased role this season.
Juniors Drew Wilson (Sagamore Hills/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) and JT Mazula (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) headline a group of talented juniors this season. Wilson played a dual role in 2020, hitting .250 with one home run and five RBI, while also striking 13 batters over 7.2 innings pitched. Mazula proved to be one of the best contact hitters on the team in the early part of the 2020 season, hitting .345 over 10 games. Bijan Kamalipour (Frisco, Texas/Jesuit College Preperatory School) and Kevin McSweeney (Seven Hills/Trinity) will aim for larger roles in the 2021 season, while Clay Anderson (Garfield Heights/Trinity), Maxwell Cebulak (Oakmont, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic), Braydon Gibson (Salem), Garret McLeod (Medina) and Brandon Skory (Parma/Valley Forge) will represent the junior class and anchor the pitching staff.
Last season's team featured several exciting freshmen who are looking to continue their growth and earn more playing time this season as sophomores. Luke Vonderhaar (New Bremen) saw a key role from the start, hitting .268 with one home run and seven RBI in 10 games and will be called upon for more this year. Chris Viamonte (Naples, Fla./Lely) and Ethan Sloane (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) added two more RBI to the mix and will see even more opportunities this season. Dawson Gabe (Lawrence, Ind./Lawrence) shined on the mound as a freshman, tallying a 2.57 ERA over 7.0 innings, while striking out 13. Gabe will be called upon to replace last season's senior heavy pitching staff, along with Ethan Boyko (North Royalton). Nik Baldis (Wexford/North Allegheny), Matt Sabin (Mentor), Justin Sekerak (Cleveland/St. Ignatius) and Jake Zappia (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville East) will see added responsibilities on the 2021 pitching staff. Ozzie Campbell (Ashtabula/Lakeside), Vincent Capoplupo (Kenmore, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate), Tanner Conklin (Pittsburgh/Plum), Ryan Guggenheim (Solon), Cooper Harestad (Vandalia/Butler), Bryce Holt (Richfield/Revere), Carl Pennington (Wadsworth), Nick Stoltz (Geneva), Adam Yako (Olmstead Falls) and Matt Zembo (Palm Desert, Calif./Palm Desert) round out the offensive sophomore class
The Yellow Jackets will also feature several newcomers, adding two transfers and 13 freshmen to the mix. Junior Alexis Castillo (Sunrise, Fla./The Sagemont School) joins the fray from Oberlin College, while sophomore DJ Doria (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) comes from Mars Hill University. Gabe Crowe (Richmond, Ind./Richmond), Jordan Cupach (Brook Park/Berea Midpark), Gabe Hayek (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute), Brendon Hink (Poland/Neshannock [Pa.]), Trevor Leighty (Wooster), Weston Lorenz (Milford Center/Fairbanks), Mitch Macy (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights), Kyle Maruna (Medina), Anthony Monaco III (Struthers), Alexander Nadai Jr. (Louisville, Ky./DuPont Manual), Andrew Parker (Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic), Drew Schaly (Ashland) and Gordon Seger (Rome/Grand Valley) make up an exciting freshman class.
The Yellow Jackets open their season with doubleheaders against John Carroll University on March 13 and 14. The Yellow Jackets will host the back end of the set for their home opener at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.
