The John Carroll Baseball team opened up Ohio Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon at Schweickert Field against Baldwin Wallace University. The Yellow Jackets (7-9, 2-0 OAC) swept the Blue Streaks (6-10, 0-2 OAC) in the double header.
GAME ONE
Baldwin Wallace found itself on the scoreboard early in the first game of the day, and finished on top with a 4-2 victory.
In the top of the first, BW's Alex Marcum flied out to centerfield, but his hit scored Spencer Badia for their first run. In the second inning, Badia returned the favor by scoring Steve Montgomery.
David Crowley hit a huge double in the bottom of the fifth to move
Mike Raschilla all the way around the bases. Crowley also scored after a couple wild pitches by BW pitcher Mark Zimmerman. The scored was tied 2-2 after the fifth.
In the sixth,
Jacob Schriner hit a fly ball to left field, and the sun made it challenging for the Yellow Jackets' left fielder to find. As a result, Schriner made it all the way to second, as well as advancing
Patrick Scholla to third. However, the Blue Streaks were not able to capitalize on those runners as a strikeout ended the inning.
Drew Vargo came in to relieve
Aaron Lapaglia in the seventh. After giving up a couple singles and an error, the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases. Trent Kaltenbach batted in Zimmerman, and then Kevin Hagen hit in Hunter Handel. BW had a 4-2 edge entering the final innings of play.
Zimmerman finished the game with eleven strikeouts for the Baldwin Wallace.
GAME TWO
Despite the late rally, John Carroll fell for the second time late Saturday afternoon.
John Carroll loaded the bases early. With just one out, Raschilla, Crowley, and
Tyler Gentile all singled.
Monroe Donnelly batted Raschilla home to put JCU on the board first.
In the third inning, Donnelly had another huge bat. His double down the right field line with two outs scored Gentile to put the Blue Streaks up 2-0.
Marcum, BW's clean-up hitter, smacked a ball over the left field fence for a two-run home run to start the fourth inning. His home run tied the game at two.
During the top of the seventh, Reese Albright hit a line drive to left field with two outs, which advanced Cole Nieto to score. Then, John Taylor batted in Albright with a hit just shy of center field. The Yellow Jackets earned a two-run cushion, 4-2.
Steve Virost came in during the top of the eighth to relieve
Brandon Maddern. However, Trent Kaltenbach singled to the right side with two outs scoring Zimmerman. The Yellow Jackets added another run to the scoreboard, leading 5-2.
However, in the bottom of the inning, the Blue Streaks started a hitting rally. Raschilla and Crowley both singled to get on base. Then, Evan Lovick came in the game to pitch for Alex Albright. Following the pitching change, Gentile scored Raschilla. Dom Mittiga advanced Crowley, closing the gap to make the score 5-4 at the end of the eighth.
Nathaniel Wenson came in for Virost to pitch the final inning. The Blue Streaks got out of a bind in the top of the ninth, but could not squeeze another run across home.
The JCU bullpen combined for nine strikeouts the second game.
John Carroll will travel to Oberlin College to play a 4 p.m. game on Wednesday, March 30.
