Baseball Concludes Season With Loss to Trinity (Texas) in NCAA World Series

Alex Ludwick (photo courtesy of Steve Frommell)
Alex Ludwick (photo courtesy of Steve Frommell)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Baldwin Wallace University baseball team faced Trinity (Texas) College on day two of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championships in an elimination game in Veterans Memorial Stadium on Perfect Game Field.

Despite getting the early 4-0 jump on the Tigers (38-12), the Yellow Jackets (37-13) dropped the NCAA World Series elimination game by a 6-5 final score.

BW was led by senior All-American shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan) as he knocked in two runs and batted 2-4. Ludwick, in his second at-bat of the game, hit an RBI double down the left field line to break the BW Single Season Doubles record, hitting 20 this season. He breaks the previous record set at 19 by Kyle Chontos in 2014.

Junior All-Region centerfielder Vincent Capolupo (Kenmore, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate) hit 3-5 with a run while senior All-Region utility player Drew Wilson (Sagamore Hills/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) went 2-5 with two RBIs.

Scoring Plays

  • BW struck first, in the top of the first, scoring three runs on a sacrifice fly ball to right field by junior All-American first baseman Luke Vonderhaar (New Bremen) and a two-run single by Wilson
  • In the top of the second, a single season record-breaking double by Ludwick scored freshman third baseman Sean Kolenich (Parma/St. Edward) to put the Yellow Jackets up 4-0
  • The Tigers scored two runs on a double down the left field line, bringing Trinity within two
  • Trinity walked-in a run in the top of the fifth to put BW on top 5-4
  • The Tigers homered over left field in the sixth to tie the game back up
  • Trinity grabbed the go-ahead run on a wild pitch (6-5 Tigers)
  • BW was scoreless in the eighth and ninth as Trinity went on to claim the 6-5 elimination game victory

On the Mound

  • Freshman right hander Seve Cantini (Roaming Shores/Jefferson Area) started on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing two runs, and struck out two batters
  • Senior right hander Scott Kirchhoff (Toledo/Sylvania Northview) threw one innings, allowing two runs, and struck out one batter
  • Junior right hander Matt Sabin (Mentor) pitched two innings, allowing one run, and earned a strikeout
  • Junior right hander Garrett Miller (McMurray, Pa.) threw one inning, allowing one run
  • Senior right hander Wilson finished the game, throwing 1.2 innings, allowing no runs on no hits, and struck out two batters 

The Yellow Jackets' record-breaking season earned them a spot in the university's second-ever NCAA Division III Baseball Championships. Being BW's most winningest program in history, they hold team records in runs, hits, doubles, homeruns, and RBIs. This season will also be tied in the most games ever played by a team in program history.

This season, the Yellow Jackets have honored five All-Ohio Athletic Conference student-athletes, four OAC All-Tournament honorees, four All-Regional recipients, four All-Region athletes, two All-Americans, and were crowned Brockport (N.Y.) Regional Champions and Endicott (Mass.) Super Regional Champions. BW concludes the year with an overall record of 37-12.