BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College baseball team swept an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader from Capital University today (Saturday, April 11) at Heritage Field in Berea.
With its wins, B-W is now 14-11 overall and 5-5 in the OAC and has won 12 of its last 17 games. The Yellow Jackets also remain at home and host OAC arch-rival Mount Union College in a key OAC twinbill on Tuesday, April 14 at 1:00 p.m. With its losses, Capital falls to 9-19 overall and 1-9 in the OAC.
In the first game, the Yellow Jackets scored the only run that senior righthanded starter and winner Brandon Fredericks (Akron/ Copley) would need in the bottom of the second inning when junior designated hitter Chris Nealon (Avon Lake) led off with a single. He moved to second when junior rightfielder Ben Stoper (Medina/ Senior) drew a walk. Then following a line out, senior third baseman Jake Gross (West Farmington/ Warren Champion) doubled to RF to score Nealon from second base.
Offensively, B-W had three base hits. Gross led B-W with a pair, including the game-winner. On the mound,Fredericks both pitched well and was aided by a Yellow Jacket defense that turned four double plays, including one to end the game. He allowed four hits, struck out three and walked two to improve to 3-3 overall and lower his season earned run average to 4.17. In addition to being an outstanding pitcher, Fredericks carries a 3.97 grade point average and is a candidate for ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-America honors this spring.
In the second game, Capital jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning, but B-W came right back to score three of its own in the bottom half of the frame to lead 3-2. The Jackets extended their lead to 6-2 with three more in the third inning before Capital scored once in the fourth to close to 6-3. A pair of runs in the fifth extended the lead to 8-3 and the Crusaders closed the scoring in the sixth with a pair.
Offensively, Stoper led the way with three hits, reached base four times, stole four bases and scored twice. In addition, senior ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-American CF Cody Kidd (Wellington) and junior catcher Matt Bush (Grafton/ Midview) each had a pair of hits. Kidd had a double and three rund batted-in andBush scored three times and had an RBI.
On the mound, junior righty Justin Novak (Strongsville) started and pitched the first five and two-third innings to gain his team-leading fourth victory and improve to 4-2 overall. He allowed nine hits and five runs (all earned) and struck out two and walked two. He was followed by freshman Jon Connolly (Brook Park/ Middleburg Heights Midpark) who allowed just one hit in one and one-third innings of scoreless relief. Then freshman Colin Wright (Lorain/ Admiral King) pitched two scoreless innings, allowed two hits and struck out one to earn his second save of the campaign.
Following its twinbill versus Mt. Union, B-W is at non-league for Malone University for a single game on Thursday, April 16 and plays an OAC doubleheader at Heidelberg College next Saturday, April 18 at 1:00 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.
