BEREA, Ohio - The Baldwin Wallace University baseball team captured an 8-7 victory against nationally-ranked (#8 American Baseball Coaches Association/Collegiate Baseball Poll & #15 D3baseball.com Poll) Adrian (Mich.) College in a non-conference single nine-inning game at Fisher Field. The victory was BW's fifth and updates its record to 5-1 against teams ranked in either Div. III national poll.
BW (10-6), who is now 5-1 against nationally ranked opponents, plated a majority of its runs in the first inning with six, pushed one across in the fifth, and won the game on a RBI fielder's choice from senior two-time Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference outfielder Reese Albright (Parma/North Royalton) in the ninth.
The Yellow Jackets were led by junior designated hitter Sam Sustersic (Richfield/Revere), as he totaled three runs-batted-in off three hits and scored a run. Albright had two hits, one run scored and plated the game-winning RBI in the ninth. Senior second baseman Kyle Pennington (Wadsworth) scored the winning run and also had two hits. Senior utility man Jacob Bonner (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) had two RBI's with his one hit and scored once. Sophomore third baseman Luke Razzante (Highland Heights/Mayfield) plated two runs with his one hit. Senior first baseman Philip Wells (Buffalo, N.Y./Saint Joseph's Collegiate) scored two runs and recorded a hit while sophomore shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan) had one hit and one RBI.
Junior right-handed-pitcher Nick Smith (Mentor) got the start and pitched six innings, allowed three runs (two earned) off five hits and struck out four. Junior pitcher Racco DiLauro (Akron/Springfield) came in relief in the seventh and allowed two earned runs. Junior left-handed-pitcher Spencer Berg (New Albany) dealt one inning and allowed zero runs with one strikeout. Freshman Garrett Miller (McMurray) threw the final two innings and allowed two runs off two hits, while striking out one and received his first win on the season.
BW will be back in action tomorrow at 4 p.m for a non-conference matchup with Ohio Wesleyan on Fisher Field. The Yellow Jackets will then travel to Alliance, Ohio on Saturday, March 30 for an OAC double-header with Mount Union. Game one is slated for 1 p.m and game two for 4 p.m.
