BEREA, OHIO -- Junior quarterback Anthony Gardner (Rocky River/ Lakewood St. Edward) accounted for five touchdowns as the Baldwin-Wallace College football team defeated Ohio Athletic Conference foe Muskingum College, 42-7, today (Saturday, October 18, 2008) on Sherman Field in McConagha Stadium in New Concord. The win ended a two-game Yellow Jacket losing streak and extended the Fighting Muskie losing streak to two straight games.
Gardner through touchdown passes of 23, 84 and 13 yards, and ran for scores of one and four yards. His first two completions went for scores to junior wide receiver Steve Price (North Olmsted) and the third went to freshman wide receiver Devon Jennings (Euclid).
With its win, B-W improves to 3-3 overall and 3-2 in the OAC, has beaten Muskingum three straight times and increases its all-time series lead to 37-13-2. The Fighting Muskies are now 2-4 overall and 1-4 in the OAC.
B-W led 14-7 after one quarter, 21-7 at halftime and 42-7 after three quarters.
It took just 2:34 for the Yellow Jackets to take a 14-0 lead. After a 55-yard opening kickoff return by freshman running back Tim Miker (Parma/ Senior), B-W scored at the 14:43 mark on the first play from scrimmage whenGardner connected with Price for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Senior placekicker Cory Ramos (Macedonia/ Nordonia) added the point-after-touchdown to give B-W a 7-0 lead. Then, with 12:16 to play in the opening quarter, Garnder again found Price for a school record-tying 84-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the drive. Ramos' PAT extended the Jackets' lead to 14-0. The touchdowns were Price's first two of his collegiate career.
The record tied a 22-yard old record set by Dan Andrews on a pass to Jeff Lindsay to Bryan Dudash in a 1986 game against Otterbein College.
After a 13-yard punt by junior Scott Nealon (Avon Lake), Muskingum cut B-W's lead to 14-7 with 1:51 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Jake Burns led an eight-play, 42-yard drive that took 2:01 and capped it with a two-yard touchdown run. Placekicker Nick Stevens added the extra-point for what would prove to be Muskingum's only points of the day.
Gardner answered right back at the 14:27 mark of the second quarter with a four-yard touchdown run to cap a six-play, 59-yard drive that spanned just 2:04. Ramos converted the extra point.
In the second half, B-W extended its lead to 28-7 at the 9:32 mark of the third quarter when Gardner hit freshman wide receiver Devon Jennings for a 13-yard touchdown pass. It was Jennings first collegiate touchdown reception. The touchdown capped a seven-play, 66-yard drive that took 2:23. Ramos added the extra point.
The defense got on the board as well, with a fumble recovery by sophomore cornerback Ryan Dugan (Mentor)who returned it 15 yards for the score. At the 6:03 mark, Muskingum ran the option and during the pitch,Dugan stepped in to snatch the ball and run it in for the score. Ramos' extra point gave B-W a 35-7 lead.
On the last play of the third quarter, Gardner escaped into the endzone on a one-yard touchdown run, his second of the day and fifth of the season. His score capped a four-play, 39-yard scoring drive spanning 1:43 and was aided by a 35-yard reception by junior running back Kyrell Crook (Columbus/ St. Francis DeSales). Ramos extedned B-W's lead to 42-7 with his extra point.
Offensively, B-W was led by Gardner who completed 21 of 28 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball 12 times for 14 yards and two touchdowns. Senior fullback Craig Lindsley and Crook tied for the team led with 23 rushing yards. Lindsley carried the ball twice and Crook rushed 12 times. Price caught four balls for 118 yards and two touchdowns, all career-highs. Senior All-OAC wide receiver Matt Lepley (Bellevue) caught five passes for 25 yards. Muskingum's offense was led by Caleb Fuller who tallied 47 yards on nine carries and Jake Burns who ran the ball 12 times for 37 yards and one touchdown, and completed 16-of-38 passes for 120 yards with two interceptions.
The defense was led by senior strong safety Lee Yoder (West Liberty/ West Liberty-Salem) who, in his first career start, recorded seven tackles. Sophomore outside linebacker Ryan Kish (Amherst/ Marion Steele)tallied six tackles, including two for losses. Senior middle lineabacker Paul Burger (Mentor) and junior cornerback Pete Taylor (North Olmsted) recorded interceptions. Muskingum was led by Ryan McClain with a game-high 11 tackles.
Through six games the season, Gardner has completed 133-of-198 passes for 67.2 percent for 1,695 yards and 11 touchdowns against three interceptions. On the ground, Crook has totaled 352 rushing yards on 97 carries for 3.6 yards per carry with three TD. Lepley leads the OAC in receiving with 49 catches for 449 yards with three TD.
Next Saturday, October 25, the Yellow Jackets are back in action when they host OAC-rival Heidelberg College on the turf of Tressel Field at The George Finnie Stadium at 1:30 p.m. It is both the 31st Annual Lee Tressel Shrine Classic and ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-America Day. Fans can listen to the game locally on campus radio station WBW, 88.3 FM, or via the WBW Internet Web site at www.wBW.com.
Next Saturday's game versus Heidelberg also will be televised via tape delay by SportsTime Ohio. The game can be seen on Oct. 25 at 8:00 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 5:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon and on Monday, Oct. 27 again at 5:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact BW Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach John Snell, please call 440-826-2069 or e-mail at jsnell@bw.edu. You can get all of the latest BW athletics information by visiting our Web site at www.bw.edu/athletics.
