Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Anderson vs. MTU
Anderson hit 5-for-9 on Sunday with 5 RBI.
10
John Carroll JCU-BB 11-14-1, 8-13-1 OAC
11
Winner Wilmington (Ohio) WC-BB 7-18, 6-15 OAC
John Carroll JCU-BB
11-14-1, 8-13-1 OAC
10
Final
11
Wilmington (Ohio) WC-BB
7-18, 6-15 OAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
John Carroll JCU-BB 1 1 1 0 0 0 6 0 0 1 10 14 1
Wilmington (Ohio) WC-BB 0 1 0 1 1 3 3 0 0 2 11 13 1

W: T. Hueber (1-1) L: Bennett, Jack (0-1)

15
Winner John Carroll JCU 12-14-1, 9-13-1 OAC
5
Wilmington (Ohio) WC 7-19, 6-16 OAC
Winner
John Carroll JCU
12-14-1, 9-13-1 OAC
15
Final
5
Wilmington (Ohio) WC
7-19, 6-16 OAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
John Carroll JCU 0 3 0 4 1 7 0 0 15 15 2
Wilmington (Ohio) WC 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 5 6 1

W: Gavric, John (1-0) L: A. Boster (0-3)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Joe Ginley '16, SID

Offensive Explosion Ensures Road Split with Fightin' Quakers

WILMINGTON, Ohio -- With the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament rapidly approaching, John Carroll University Baseball hoped to pick up ground in the standings on Sunday with a sweep.

The Blue Streaks couldn't manage a Sunday sweep and a weekend split, but they didn't walk away empty-handed.

John Carroll lost the opener on a heartbreaking walk-off, 11-10, before capturing the series finale, 15-5, winning one of four for the weekend against the Fightin' Quakers. 

Game 1

Angry after a disappointing home sweep on Saturday, the John Carroll bats provided early thunder. In the opening frame, Sam Heaton drew a leadoff walk to start things. Bennett Cavaretta singled to center, putting Heaton at third for Joe Olsavsky. As per usual, the freshman delivered, poking a single through the left side for an RBI. 

John Merrill allowed two singles in the bottom of the frame, but did not surrender any runs. The Blue Streaks' bats rewarded him with another run, as Matthew Springer singled, stole second, and subsequently scored on a Michael Anderson single. 

Wilmington got on the board in the bottom of the second, thanks to a single and then an error. But Merrill got a strikeout to get out of it. John Carroll quickly snatched the run back. Olsavsky singled and stole second to begin the third. Henry Haracz then singled to the left center gap to plate the freshman phenom. Haracz swiped second, but Wilmington's GlenAllen Anderson penned three quick outs to keep the score at 3-1 JCU.

Wilmington responded in the fourth with a 2-out rally. A single to right center was followed by an RBI double to the gap in right, narrowing the JCU lead to 3-2. Merrill garnered a groundout to end the inning and leave the runner stranded at second. 

Hit by pitches cost JCU in the fifth. Wilmington drew one to start the inning, and then got back-to-back runners aboard via HBP after a strikeout. With the bases loaded, Wilmington hit a Texas Leaguer to second base, and the runner from third barely snuck home for a shallow sacrifice fly, tying the game at three. Merrill tabbed his eighth K of the day to keep it scoreless.  

After JCU was retired in order in the sixth, Joseph Smith entered for the Blue Streaks. The junior tabbed a groundout to start, but then allowed a walk. After a strikeout, back-to-back hit by pitches loaded the bases. The Fightin' Quakers took advantage of the opportunity, as Jesse Reliford looped a double deep to the right center gap, clearing the bases. Smith settled down with a flyout to end things, but the clutch 2-out double stung but did not drain JCU's hopes.  

The Blue Streaks didn't take any time to respond. Springer got aboard with a walk, and Anderson lofted a 2-run homer to left center, narrowing the gap to one run. Heaton kept it going with a beauty of a bunt, and Cavaretta pushed a single up the middle to put runners at the corners. Olsavsky then tied the ballgame, lifting a double to right center to score Heaton. With two in scoring position and no outs, Wilmington called to the bullpen for the first time in the series. 

Back-to-back singles by Haracz and Justin Hanley kept the rally in full swing, getting Cavaretta and Olsavsky across. After Wilmington finally got the first out with a strikeout, Tyler Cyrus hit an opposite field pinch-hit single for another run. Wilmington finally got out of it, trailing 9-6. 

Wilmington's bats didn't fall silent, either. A single and hit by pitch started the inning in ominous fashion. Jack Bennett entered to calm things down, but Wilmington didn't get the memo. A sacrifice bunt sent the runners to second and third. A sacrifice fly got the second out but also a run. Wilmington then tabbed back-to-back RBI singles, tying things up. Bennett bought an escape with a strikeout, but the game again stood deadlocked. 

To no one's surprise, John Carroll worked the offense again in the eighth. Heaton took one for the team with a hit by pitch, and Olsavsky walked to set two runners aboard with 1 out. Haracz then reached on a fielder's choice as Olsavsky was out at second, bringing Hanley to the dish with runners on the corners and two outs. The veteran accepted an intentional walk, loading the bases. But this time, Wilmington got out of trouble, with a groundout ending the frame. 

After back-to-back-to-back scoreless half innings, forcing extras, John Carroll came up for the tenth. Heaton tabbed a single through the left side to kick off the frame, and Cavaretta bunted to send Heaton to second. Joe Olsavsky doubled to right center, scoring Heaton for the go-ahead run. Wilmington got two outs from the heart of the order, keeping hope alive.

A walk and sac bunt placed a runner at second for Reilford, who stayed clutch with a single to center, tying the game. Following another single and a hit by pitch, Joe Legin played the hero, scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th. 

Olsavsky led the lineup at the No. 3 spot, hitting 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and 3 RBI, along with a walk. Cavaretta, Haracz, and Anderson also enjoyed multi-hit days. 

Game 2

Wilmington managed to jump on Matthew Aukerman and the Blue Streaks early. A leadoff single and stolen base got things started. A single set runners at the corners before an error on the catcher allowed the first run of the game to score. A double plated another, placing the hosts ahead 2-0 after one. 

John Carroll returned the favor in the top of the second. Haracz was hit by a pitch and quickly stole second. The speed demon advanced to third on a Tyler Cyrus single. Matthew Springer then tabbed a sacrifice fly to third, scoring Haracz. A double off the wall by Jacob Connery brought up Michael Anderson to the dish with 2 outs and 2 out. The Pittsburgh native lined a single just over the second baseman's glove, plating Cyrus and Connery for a 3-2 lead. 

The fourth inning proved to be wild on both sides.

The Blue Streaks fired out to a hot start in the top half, as Springer slotted a single to right center. Connery singled to center and Anderson bunted a single to load the bases. Sam Heaton drew a walk, bringing home Springer. Olsavsky then delivered in a big way with a gigantic triple to right center, clearing the bases and upping John Carroll's lead to 7-2.

Wilmington sent the message that the game was not yet decided. After Aukerman handled the hosts in the second and third, they got to him in the fourth. After a double and a walk, a JCU error scored one run. A sacrifice fly plated another and a wild pitch notched a third. John Gavric smoothed things out with 2 outs, getting a grounder to end the inning at 7-5. 

In the fifth, the Blue Streaks scratched a run across, as Springer walked, advanced to second, and came home on an Anderson RBI single. The frame ended with no more damage, but the Blue Streaks were far from done.

After Gavric got through the fifth, the Blue Streaks blew up the game in the sixth. Not only did the Blue Streaks steal away the keys to the car, they sped off with it.

The Blue and Gold took full possession of the game with a 7-run frame. The inning started as most do, with a Heaton hit. Cavaretta drew a walk, resulting in a call to the bullpen. Olsavsky took no notice and got a walk to load the bases. The wildness continued with a Haracz walk. Then, Matt Cassaro blew the game wide open.

With a ground rule double to right center, Cassaro scored two runs. In stepped fellow veteran Matthew Thiel. The Kentucky native clobbered a double to right center, sending Olsavsky and Cavaretta scurrying home. Following a flyout, Connery catapulted the rawhide over the fence in left, emptying the bases.

After the dust settled from Connery's moonshot, the Blue Streaks sat atop an insurmountable 15-5 edge.

Wilmington finally got out of the inning, and the seventh passed without much tumult, so the game concluded after seven innings.

Connery and Anderson both hit 3-for-4 on the game. A manager always loves to see his No. 8 and No. 9 hitters perform that well, especially for a combined 5 RBI. Olsavaksy continued his tear, hittiner 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. Ten Blue Streaks collaborated on the team's 15 hits. 

Gavric got the win, rewarded for his 3.1 innings of 1-hit, 4-strikeout relief effort. 

With the split, JCU heads to 12-14-1 overall, including 9-13-1 in OAC play. 
Print Friendly Version

Sponsors