By: Ryan Sosic '19

BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University football team returned home for the first time in three weeks and defeated Muskingum University in an Ohio Athletic Conference game by a final score of 44-7 on the Tressel Field inside the George Finnie Stadium.

Prior to the game, eight new members of the Athletic Alumni Association Hall of Fame were honored and during a halftime presentation the University celebrated the 40th anniversary of the 1978 NCAA Division III Football National Championship.

BW (5-1, 4-1 OAC) improved to 47-13-2 in the all-time series and has now won 12 of the last 14 meetings.  Muskingum (2-4, 1-4 OAC) is now 1-5 in its last six trips to Berea and has been outscored 406-188 in the last 14 contests.

Offensively for BW, senior quarterback Jake Hudson (East Lake, Florida) completed 15 of 21 passes for 228 yards with three touchdowns. Freshman running back Jon Murray Jr. (Cincinnati/Withrow) led the ground attack as he rushed for 64 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. Senior Rob Wolfington (Rapid City, Mich./Elk Rapids) led the receiving corps with five catches for 113 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, senior cornerback Ty Fields (St. Augustine, Fla.) led the squad with six tackles. Freshman defensive lineman Seth Schrock (Madison) tallied a career-high four tackles, including three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Muskingum was led by freshman quarterback Jordan Garrett as he completed 8 of 11 passes for 84 yards with one touchdown. He also was the leading rusher as he gained 42 yards on 12 carries.  Senior Warren Wilson registered four catches for 45 yards with one touchdown.  Defensively, sophomore Drew Lowery registered a game-high eight tackles.

After both teams were unable to get their offense rolling during their first few drives, the Yellow Jackets scored two consecutive touchdowns to head into the second quarter with a 14-0 lead. The first points were scored with 5:28 remaining in the quarter after Hudson rocketed a 30-yard pass to Wolfington. An interception by freshman defensive back Anthony Kendall (Port Richey, Fla./River Ridge) gave BW the ball back near midfield. Two completions by Hudson to senior wide receiver Chad Steinwachs (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North) and two Muskingum penalties set up an 8-yard touchdown run by Murray Jr. Junior Jimmy Marshall (Lakewood) knocked in both extra points.

In the second quarter, BW's defense continued to swarm the Muskies, picking up a stop on 4th and 1 and allowing 78 total yards of offense in the first half. The play of the special teams and the defense gave the Yellow Jacket offense great field position for most of the second quarter. The lone touchdown of the stanza was scored at the 4:33 mark when Hudson found junior wide out Deion Greer (Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic) for his second touchdown toss of the game. After a Muskingum punt, BW put together a 2:07 minute drive to the Muskingum 6-yard line, where Marshall kicked a 23-yarder through the uprights with 40 seconds remaining. This increased BW's lead to 24-0 heading into halftime.

The first points of the second half came after a 4:23 minute drive by the Yellow Jacket offense. Hudson found Wolfington for gains of 12 yards and 14 yards to help drive the Yellow Jackets into Muskingum territory. Senior receiver Jordan Leverette (Cleveland/John Adams) ran a slant route and Hudson was able to deliver the 17-yard pass to make the score 31-0 with 8:58 left in the third quarter. BW extended its lead to 38-0 heading into the fourth quarter after Murray Jr. crossed the plane from one yard out.

Muskingum scored its first points of the game after Wilson slipped out for a screen pass thrown by Garrett, making the score 38-7 with 6:45 left in the game. BW scored the last points of the contest when senior running back Troy Colucci (Conneaut) rushed into the end zone from 12 yards out, making the score 44-7. Marshall's extra point was blocked.

BW hits the road for the next two weeks.  The Yellow Jackets first travel to Wilmington on Saturday, October 20 for an OAC game against Wilmington College in Williams Stadium at 1:30 p.m.  BW stays on the road when it travels to Marietta on Saturday, October 27 for an OAC game against Marietta College in Don Drumm Stadium at 1:30 p.m.