MARIETTA, Ohio – The No. 18 nationally-ranked and third-seeded Baldwin Wallace University baseball team took on No. 2 nationally-ranked and top-seeded Marietta College and fourth-seeded University of Mount Union on day two of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament on Don and Sue Schaly Field at Pioneer Park.
The Yellow Jackets (32-10) dropped to the Pioneers (37-5) by a 3-2 final score before defeating the Purple Raiders (23-19) by a final score of 13-5, to advance themselves to the OAC Tournament Championship series. With three doubles in the second game, the team garnered the BW Single Season Team Doubles Record with 115 so far this season. The team surpassed the 2014 team as they previously had the record with 113 doubles.
Game 1 was led by junior All-OAC first baseman Luke Vonderhaar (New Bremen) who went 2-4 from the plate. Junior outfielder Andrew Parker (Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic) batted 1-3 with a run while sophomore catcher Mark Mohnickey, Jr (North Ridgeville/St. Edward) batted 1-1 with an RBI.
Scoring Plays
- Marietta scored first as it notched a run on an RBI groundout in the first
- BW tied the game 1-1 on a two-out RBI single to centerfield by Mohnickey to scored Parker, who reached on a walk
- The Pioneers went up 2-1 on an RBI single up the middle in the fourth
- In the top of the sixth, the Yellow Jackets tied up the game 2-2 on an RBI groundout by freshman third baseman Sean Kolenich (Parma/St. Edward) to score senior All-Mideast Region shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan)
- A solo homerun by the Pioneers in the bottom of the seventh made the score 3-2, Marietta advantage
- BW was scoreless in its remaining two frames, as Marietta went on the claim the 3-2 win
On the Mound
- Junior left hander Nik Baldis (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) started on the mound and allowed a run
- Senior right hander Scott Kirchhoff (Toledo/Sylvania Northview) finished off the first inning, notching a statement strikeout to end the inning
- Freshman right hander Dylan Snyder (Stow/Akron Archbishop Hoban) pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits, and struck out a batter
- Freshman right hander Seve Cantini (Roaming Shores/Jefferson Area) pitched for two outs
- Senior All-OAC right hander Drew Wilson (Sagamore Hills/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) threw the last three innings, allowing one run on four hits, and posted two strikeouts
Game 2 was led by junior second baseman Ryan Guggenheim (Solon) as he batted 4-4 with five RBIs, three runs, a double, and a homerun. Vonderhaar also batted 2-2 with four runs, an RBI, and a double.
Scoring Plays
- BW grabbed the 2-0 jump on the Purple Raiders in the first on an error by the Mount Union outfield and an RBI single by Guggenheim
- After the lightning delay, when play resumed in the top of the third, Mount Union scored one on an RBI single to right field
- The Yellow Jackets posted four runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by an RBI single by Guggenheim, a two-run single by Kolenich, and an RBI triple by Mohnickey
- BW notched two RBI doubles (Vonderhaar and Parker) in the fourth as the team garnered the BW Single Season Team Doubles Record, and scored three runs to put the Yellow Jackets up 9-1
- Mount Union notched two runs in the top of the fifth
- A solo homerun by junior centerfielder Vincent Capolupo (Kenmore, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate), earning BW the 10-3 advantage in the fifth
- Guggenheim hit a three-run bomb to left field in the sixth to extend the BW lead to 13-3
- Mount Union scored two runs in the seventh, but it wasn't enough as the Yellow Jackets went on the claim the 13-5 victory
On the Mound
- Senior right hander Clay Anderson (Broadview Heights/Trinity) started, throwing three innings, allowing one run on four hits, and notching a strikeout
- Kirchhoff pitched 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits, and struck out one batter
- Cantini pitched an inning, allowing no runs, no hits, and struck out one batter
- Steve Spidell (Mount Eaton/Waynedale) threw for two outs, totaling two strikeouts
- Matt Sabin (Mentor) closed the last three innings and earned the win (5-0), allowing no runs on just one hit, and struck out one batter
The Yellow Jackets return to play Saturday, May 14 as they will yet again face Marietta College in the OAC Tournament Championship series. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. against the Pioneers.