UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team defeated Ohio Athletic Conference and Cleveland cross-town rival and No.28-ranked John Carroll University, 29-11, tonight in an OAC dual match in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center. This was the final regular season match for BW.
With its win, the Yellow Jackets end their dual match season at 8-3 overall and 3-2 in OAC duals. JCU is 3-7 overall and 1-3 in the OAC.
The Yellow Jackets grabbed a 4-0 lead when sophomore 125-pounder Jesse Gunter (Akron/ Coventry), ranked eighth by the NWCA (National Wrestling Coaches Association) in NCAA Division III, earned a 10-1 major decision win against JCU's John Cobos. Gunter improved to 24-3 this season.
The lead grew to 10-0 when BW's lone senior, 133-pounder Andrew Taylor (Worthington/ Kilborne) pinned JCU's Sal Corrao in 6:49 to improve to 25-14 this season.
The lead grew to 13-0 at 141 pounds when BW freshman Josh Decatur (Akron/ Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) won an 11-6 decision against the Bue Streaks' Anthony Trocchia to improve to improve to 15-18 this winter.
JCU then closed the gap to 13-7 with a major decision win at 149 pounds and a decision at 157. BW freshman Graham Montague (Independence) dropped to 19-18 with the loss at 149 and sophomore 157-pounder Garrett Chase (Erie, Pa./ Cathedral Prep) dropped to 24-7.
Sophomore 165-pounder David Shapiro (Beachwood) increased BW's lead to 16-7 with a 9-7 victory against JCU's Tom McNulty to improve to a team-best 36 wins and a 36-10 record. Sophomore 174-pounder Ben LeBrun (Strongsville) made it 20-7 with an 11-2 major decision win against JCU's Matt Tusick to improve to 25-10.
The Blue Streaks closed the gap to 20-11 when BW freshman 184-pounder Paul Rallis (Ringers, N.J./ Hunterdon Central) lost a major decision and fell to 7-17 overall.
Freshman 184-pounder Andrew Shackelford (Worthington/ Thomas Worthington) clinched the match for BW and increased its advantage to 23-11 with a 6-1 win against JCU's Brad Beattie. Shackelford is now 15-13 overall. Sophomore 286-pounder Joe Belford (Berea/ Lakewood St. Edward) put the finishing touches on the match when he pinned JCU's Kyle Kratman in 2:45. Belford improved to 9-6 this season.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Saturday and Sunday, March 1-2 when they travel to York, Pennsylvania to compete at the 2014 NCAA Division III East Region Tournament at York College.
FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bwyellowjackets.comand we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics.