BEREA, Ohio – The No. 10-nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team opened its 2018-2019 Ohio Athletic Conference home schedule by defeating the visiting and No. 25-ranked John Carroll University Blue Streaks, 35-6, in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.
The win for BW (1-1, 1-1 OAC) was its sixth straight against its cross-town rival since JCU's last victory in 2012-2013. Highlighting the victory for the Yellow Jackets were wins by five of its returning 2018 NCAA Division III national qualifiers, including its captain and 165-pound All-American team-leader Anthony Arroyo (Maumee).
Opening things up for BW was sophomore 125-pounder Chad Craft (Dayton/ Northmont), who gave the Yellow Jackets a 3-0 lead when he captured a 7-3 decision to improve to 5-1 this season and 30-7 in his career.
Junior All-OAC, Academic All-OAC and 133-pound national qualifier Dante Ginnetti (Poland/ Seminary) and gave BW a 9-0 lead when he followed Craft's triumph with a 3:00 minute pinfall. He improved to 5-1 this season and 65-21 in his career to move into a tie for 32nd all-time.
Claiming a 5-4 decision in the next match was sophomore 141-pounder Tanner McHugh (New Ringgold, Pa./Tamaqua). McHugh has been BW's victory leader so far this season at 9-0.
The Yellow Jackets continued their hot streak and built a 15-0 advantage with an 8-3 decision from sophomore All-OAC 149-pounder Stanley Bleich (North Ridgeville/ Elyria Catholic), also a Div. III national qualifier a year ago. Bleich, a 2018 NWCA Scholar All-American, improved to 5-0 this season and 37-11 overall.
Senior two-time All-OAC 157-pounder Richie Burke (Ithaca, N.Y.) continued his return from a season-ending injury a year ago as he cruised to a 16-0 technical fall to give the Jackets a 20-0 lead. Burke is 5-1 this season and owns a 55-30 career slate.
Senior All-OAC 184-pounder Justin Ransom (Mason), another 2018 Div. III national qualifier, was victorious in his bout with the only major decision of the match by a 22-8 count. That gave BW a 29-3 lead.
The final victory for BW came from senior two-time All-OAC 197-pounder Zeckary Lehman (Akron/Revere), who pinfalled his JCU opponent in 3:00 to close out the scoring for a 35-6 Jacket victory. Lehman, the fifth of the five returning Div. III national qualifiers from a year ago, improved to 6-0 this season and 67-19 for his career and is tied for 30th all-time.
The Yellow Jackets will next compete this weekend, Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1, when they travel to York, Pennsylvania and York College to compete in the New Standard Corporation Invitational. Matches are set to start at 3 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m on Saturday.
Fans and those interested in volunteering are reminded that the annual John Summa Memorial Tournament is on Saturday, February 2, 2019. To volunteer, please call or e-mail BW Head Coach Jamie Gibbs at 440-826-3258 in his office and e-mail at jgibbs@bw.edu.
