BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College baseball team defeated traditional rival Hiram College, 3-2, today (Wednesday, April 29, 2009) at Heritage Field in Berea by scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

 

B-W is now 18-17 overall and plays a single game tomorrow against cross-town foe Notre Dame College (Ohio) at Paul Serra Field in Euclid at 4:00 p.m. With its loss, Hiram falls to 2-29 overall.

 

The Terriers gained a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. After an out, sophomore second baseman Andy Richey tripled and then scored when freshman first baseman Steve Dunn reached base via an error.

 

B-W gained its first lead of the game at 2-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Junior 2B Matt Rollins (Walbridge) led off with a walk, moved to second on a ground out and then scored when junior 2B Scott Nealon (Avon Lake) reached base via a Hiram error to tie it at 1-1 and then advanced to secon on the throw to home plate. Nealon then scored on a single by senior 3B Jake Gross (West Farmington/ Warren Champion).

 

Hiram tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the top of the ninth as senior leftfielder Mark Reifsnyder doubled and scored on a single by freshman 3B Randy Miller.

 

B-W scored the game-winner in the ninth to win 3-2 as junior catcher Matt Bush (Grafton/ Midview) led off with a walk. He was replaced by pinch runner in freshman shortstop Anthony Longhitano (Cuyahoga Falls). A sacrifice bunt moved Longhitano to second base and a bunt single by senior ESPN THE MAGAZINEAcademic All-American CF Cody Kidd (Wellington) moved him to third base. Longhitano scored the game-winner when Rollins reached base via an error

 

Offensively, Kidd, Rollins and senior two-time Academic All-OAC rightfielder Mike Brisky (Berea) each had two base hits. Kidd's two hits give him 179 in his career which leaves him four shy of former Academic All-American and Cleveland Indians' farmhand Erik Young's school-record of 184 from 1986-89.

 

On the mound, junior righthander Scott Luthman (Celina) started and pitched the first seven innings. He allowed three base hits and one run (unearned), struck out four and walked two Terrier batters. Freshman Colin Wright (Lorain/ Admiral King) relieved him in the eighth and pitched two innings, allowed two hits and one run (earned) to gain the victory and improve to 2-1 overall. He struck out one and walked one.

 

Following its game tomorrow versus Notre Dame College (Ohio), B-W ends its season by hosting Ohio Athletic Conference foe Wilmington College in a Seniors' Day doubleheader on Saturday, May 2 at 1:00 p.m. With a pair of wins, B-W can both end its season with a winning record and even its OAC slate at 9-9.

 

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.