RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Baldwin Wallace University baseball team fell to No. 1 Nationally Ranked Concordia University of Chicago (Ill.), 5-3 in the NCAA Division lll Regional Title game, on Cougar Field.
BW (27-17) concludes their season after being co-Ohio Athletic Conference regular season champs, and earning their fourth berth to the NCAA Tournament in six years. The Yellow Jackets plated three runs off six hits as one came across in the second and two in the third. Concordia of Chicago (42-8) advances to the Super Regional after scoring five runs, all in the third inning, off 13 hits.
The offense was led by senior two-time Academic All-OAC right fielder Reese Albright (Parma/North Royalton) as he went 2-for-4 and stole a career-tying two bases. Freshman designated hitter Drew Wilson (Sagamore Hills/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Acadamy) tallied an RBI single with his hit in the second. Senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference first baseman Philip Wells (Buffalo, N.Y./Saint Joseph's Collegiate) produced one hit and scored a run in the third, while being named to the All-Tournament team. Sophomore All-OAC shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan) had one double and scored a run on a wild pitch in the third. Senior All-OAC second baseman Kyle Pennington (Wadsworth) marked one hit while sophomore third baseman Tony LoParo (Elyria/Catholic) tallied a run batted-in. Junior left fielder Jacob Bonner (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) scored a run and as well and was named to the All-Tournament team, along with junior Academic All-OAC center fielder Brandon Dim (Solon).
On the mound for the Yellow Jackets was junior right-handed pitcher Spencer Aukerman (Medina), and his line included 2.2 innings where he allowed five runs off seven hits and struck out two. Senior All-OAC left-handed pitcher Jack Raines (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) was next in line and he dealt 3.2 innings where he let up zero runs off five hits and punched out one. Sophomore All-OAC righty Nick Smith (Mentor) closed out the seventh inning after getting two outs. Senior American Baseball Coaches Association/ Rawlings All-Mideast Region and two-time All-OAC right-handed pitcher Danny Cody (Medina/ Brecksville-Broadview Hts.) finished the final two innings and allowed zero runs off one hit.
