PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The 24th-ranked (D3Baseball.com) Baldwin Wallace University baseball team defeated Moravian (Pa.) College, 6-5, inside North Charlotte Regional Park at the Snowbird Classic. This was BW's six game on its eight-game annual Spring Break Trip.
BW (9-2) scored three runs in the first inning, two in second and closed out its scoring in the bottom of the sixth when junior centerfielder Chase Knodle (Poland/Seminary) drove home the game-winning run. Moravian (2-5) scored one run in the first inning, two in the fourth, one in the fifth and one run in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 5-5.
On the bump sophomore pitcher Dominic Francis (Medina/Brunswick) earned his first career win as he pitched four scoreless innings with just one walk. Sophomore pitcher Brandon Lekan (Strongsville) started the game and left with a two run lead.
Offensively BW was led by junior Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference third baseman Spencer Badia (Belliare) and senior first baseman Kevin Hagen (Brecksville/St. Ignatius). Badia went one-for-two with one triple and three runs batted in (RBI) and Hagen went two-for-four.
BW OPENS ITS OAC SCHEDULE IN FLORIDA: BW opens its 2017 OAC schedile on Saturday, March 11 when it travels to Winter Haven, Florida for an OAC doubleheader against the University of Mount Union at Lake Myrtle Park. Game one is scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. and game two is slated for 4 p.m.
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THE STATISTICAL LEADERS: After 11 games, senior shortstop Steve Montgomery (Canton/ Central Catholic) leads the team in hitting with a .452 (14 of 31) batting average. Senior two-time All-OAC and All-Mideast Region outfielder Cole Nieto (Brunswick/ Cleveland St. Ignatius) is second at .410 (16 of 39). Overall, BW is hitting .346 as a team and averaging 10.1 runs per game. To access the most up-to-date BW basebakll statistics, CLICK HERE.
The pitching staff is led by junior two-time All-OAC selection Evan Lovick (Mentor), who is 2-0 with a 1.12 earned run average (ERA).
ANNUAL BASEBALL ALUMNI GATHERING: The annual BW Baseball Alumni gathering this spring will be on Saturday, April 8 when the Yellow Jackets host OAC arch-rival and 18th-ranked Marietta College in a doubleheader at Bob Fisher Field at 1:00 p.m.
FIRST NORTHERN ACTION: BW opens northern play on Saturday, March 18 when it hosts both Waynesburg (Pa.) College at 10:00 a.m. and LaRoche (Pa.) College at 4:00 p.m. in single nine-inning games at Fisher Field.
ZIMMERMAN STARTS SECOND PRO SEASON: 2016 BW graduate and OAC Player of the Year Mark Zimmerman is beginning his second professional baseball season as a member of the San Diego Padres. He was drafted last spring after completing an outstanding four-year career as a Yellow Jacket. Good luck, Mark!
