PORTSMOUTH, OHIO – Baldwin-Wallace College baseball team dropped its 2012 season-opener today (Saturday, February 25) with a 6-3 loss to host Shawnee State University on the first day of the two-day and three-game Rigsby Invitational Tournament. The Yellow Jackets also play NCAA Division II Walsh University later in the afternoon and again on Sunday morning.

Shawnee State, now 6-5 overall, jumped on Yellow Jacket junior starting righthanded pitcher Dave Redovian (Fairlawn/Copley) for two runs in the opening inning and three runs in the second to build a 5-0 advantage. The Bears added one in the fifth to extend their lead to 6-0. B-W made a late push in the ninth inning with three runs on four hits, a bases-on-balls and anotyer batter being hit-by-pitch.

At the plate, the Yellow Jackets were led by senior catcher Jordan Barnett (Willard) and freshman second baseman Eric Murphy (Brook Park/Midpark) with two hits each. In addition, senior shortstop Anthony Longhitano (Cuyahoga Falls) and freshman Cody Kirk (Warren/ Howland) each had a single and a run batted-in during the ninth inning rally.  

On the mound, Redovian started and pitched the first four innings. He surrendered five runs (four earned) on five hits. He was followed by sophomore righty Jon Capadona (North Royalton) who pitched three innings and gave up one run and struck out two. Sophomore righty Cory Waite (Willoughby/South) pitched one scoreless inning and struck out one.