ALLIANCE, Ohio -- The No.19-ranked Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team defeated Ohio Athletic Conference rival the University of Mount Union, 21-12, in the McPherson Academic & Athletic Complex.
The Yellow Jackets (16-8, 3-0 OAC) are now just win away from tying the school single-season mark for victories. A year ago, BW was 17-5 overall.
Highlighting the evening was Yellow Jacket freshman 165-pounder Anthony Arroyo (Maumee) who earned a pin in his first career match against OAC competition.
After Mount Union (11-8, 2-1 OAC) grabbed a 3-0 lead with an 8-7 decision at 125 pounds with riding time being the decisive point. BW senior two-time Division III All-American 133-pounder Jesse Gunter (Akron/Coventry), who is ranked No.2 in Division III, earned a 3-2 decision to tie it at 3-3. The win was Gunter's 110th career victory to move past Mark Tinney for second on the all-time Yellow Jacket win list and improve his career mark to 110-13. Gunter also is 24-1 this season with his only loss coming to the nation's top-ranked 133-pounder, and he is 2-0 against OAC foes.
The Purple Raiders gained wins by decision at both 141 and 149 pounds to take a 9-3 advantage before it was cut in half when freshman 157-pounder Richie Burke (Ithaca, N.Y.) improved to 16-13 this season with a 4-1 victory. Burke also improved to 2-0 against OAC competition. The Yellow Jackets took the lead at 12-9 when Arroyo dominated his Mount Union foe and pinned him in 3:28 to improve to 10-4 this season and 1-0 in the OAC.
Senior 174-pound Division III All-American Garrett Chase (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep), who is ranked 10th in Division III, extended the BW lead to 15-9 with a 6-2 win to earn his school career-record 118th victory, improve to 118-34 in his career, 22-4 this season and 2-0 versus OAC opponents. Senior four-year starter Ben LeBrun (Strongsville) increased BW's advantage to 18-9 with an 8-3 decision to improve to 88-54 in his career, 18-10 this season and 2-0 versus OAC foes.
BW sophomore All-OAC 197-pounder Tyler Maclellan (Medina/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) clinched the match for the Jackets and gave them a 21-9 lead with a 4-1 victory to improve to 35-18 in his career, 19-11 this season and 2-0 in OAC matches. Mount Union claimed an 8-4 win in the final match to round out the final score.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action this Saturday, February 6, when they host the 30th Annual John Summa Memorial Tournament in the Lou Higgins Center Fieldhouse. Action begins at 10 a.m.
