BEREA, Ohio – The No. 9 nationally-ranked Baldwin Wallace University baseball team hosted an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader against Muskingum University on Fisher Field. The Yellow Jackets (17-3, 3-1 OAC) defeated the Fighting Muskies (10-9, 1-3 OAC) in big 7-1 and 8-1 wins.
Game 1 was led by senior All-Mideast Region shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan) as he hit 3-3 with three RBIs and two runs. In his first at-bat, Ludwick surpassed the Career At-Bats Record (662) previously set by Mark Zimmerman during his 2013-16 career. Ludwick now holds the record at 668 after today's games. In his second at-bat of game one, in the fourth inning, Ludwick's hit to the second baseman garnered him the BW Career Hits Record, also surpassing Zimmerman. After today's games, Ludwick holds the record at 245 career hits.
Scoring Plays
- Ludwick doubles down the left field line to score senior All-OAC utility player Drew Wilson (Sagamore Hills/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) from first, BW went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first
- Muskingum hit a solo homerun over right field in the top of the third to tie it up 1-1
- An RBI groundout by junior utility player Ryan Guggenheim (Solon) scored Ludwick from third to go up 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth
- In the bottom of the fifth, an RBI double by junior centerfielder Vincent Capolupo (Kenmore, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate) made it a 3-1 BW advantage
- An RBI single down the left field line by junior first baseman Luke Vonderhaar (New Bremen) scored Guggenheim from third to put the Yellow Jackets up 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth
- With Capolupo on second base, Ludwick hit a deep homerun over the right field fence to make it 6-1 in the bottom of the seventh
- A solo homerun by junior designated hitter Bryce Holt (Richfield/Rever) in the bottom of the eighth earned BW to 7-1 lead as the Yellow Jackets went on to claim the big 7-1 win
On the Mound
- Junior right hander Dawson Gabe (Lawrence, Ind.) started on the mound for BW, earned the win (3-1), pitching the first four innings, allowing one run on three hits, and posted eight strikeouts
- Junior right hander Aidan Bennett (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) came in to relieve, throwing three innings, allowing no runs on two hits, and tallying five strikeouts
- Senior right hander Maxwell Cebulak (Oakmont, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) closed for BW, pitching the last two innings, allowing no runs and no hits, striking out five batters
Game 2 was led by Vonderhaar as he hit 2-4 with five RBIs and a run. Junior right-handed pitcher Nik Baldis (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) also led BW on the defensive end, throwing six scoreless innings.
Scoring Plays
- BW got the 1-0 jump in the bottom of the second on an RBI groundout
- The Yellow Jackets tallied three runs in the third on four hits and an error, highlighted by two-RBI single by Guggenheim and an RBI single by Vonderhaar (4-0 BW)
- With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Vonderhaar homered over the left field fence for a grand slam (8-0 BW)
- Muskingum tallied one run in the top of the ninth, but it wasn't enough as the Yellow Jackets earned the 8-1 win
On the Mound
- Baldis started for BW and earned the win, moving to 3-0 on the year, pitching six innings, allowing no runs on four hits, and posted seven strikeouts
- Senior right hander Wilson threw the last three innings, earning his first save of the season, and tallied three strikeouts
The Yellow Jackets return to play Thursday, April 7 as they travel crosstown to face non-conference opponent Case Western Reserve University in a single game. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. in Nobby's Ballpark.