BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College baseball team defeated Walsh University, 7-5, today (Friday, March 27) in a non-conference game in North Canton.
With its win, the Yellow Jackets improve to 6-8 overall. The loss drops Walsh to 9-14 overall. B-W and Walsh will face off in a rematch on Sunday, March, 29 at Heritage Field in Berea at 1:00 p.m.
Walsh jumped out to a 2-0 lead with runs in each of the bottom of the first and fourth innings. B-W took a 5-2 lead when it exploded for five runs in the top of the sixth. Walsh closed the gap to 5-4 with two runs in the seventh, but the Yellow Jackets countered with two runs in the top of the ninth. Walsh scored a single run in the bottom of the ninth, but junior reliever/ designated hitter Brian Boveington (Stow/ Stow-Munroe Falls)was able to hold on for the 7-5 win.
Offensively, senior Academic All-American centerfielder Cody Kidd (Wellington) tallied three hits, including one double, one run batted-in and one run scored in six at-bats. Senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference first baseman Riley Kreisher (Ashtabula/ Edgewood) was two-for-six with a double and one RBI. Junior second baseman Matt Rollins (Walbridge/ Millbury Lake) was two-for-five with a walk and two RBI. Junior catcherMatt Bush (Grafton/ Midview), junior second baseman Scott Nealon (Avon Lake) and junior outfielder Ben Stoper (Medina/ Senior) each tallied an RBI.
On the mound, junior righthanded pitcher Jim Palko (Euclid) started and worked six innings, gave up five hits, four runs (three earned) and struck out two on his way to his first win of the season. Junior righthanderJono Susini (Twinsburg/ Senior) came on in relief in the seventh and eighth innings and gave up one earned run on two hit. Boveington earned his first save of the season by pitching the ninth inning and gave up one unearned run on two hits.
The Brown & Gold will return to Berea tomorrow, Saturday, March 28 to face Ohio Athletic Conference and Cleveland cross-town rival John Carroll University in an OAC doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. at Heritage Field. John Carroll brings a 10-4 overall and 1-1 OAC record to the doubleheader. The Yellow Jackets also host traditional rivals Case Western Reserve University on Tuesday, March 31 and No. seven-ranked (www.d3baseball.com) The College of Wooster on Thursday, April 2 as part of its five-game homestand. Both games begin at 4:00 p.m.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at (440) 826-2327 and via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Nick Minerd by phone at (440) 826-2780 and via e-mail at nminerd@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Bob Fisher, please call him at (440) 826-2182 in his office and e-mail him at rfisher@bw.edu. More information may be accessed on the B-W athletics page atwww.bw.edu/athletics.
