Justin McDowell picked up the win against Carthage.

GRAND CHUTE, Wis. – Sean Karpen (Venetia, Pa. / Peters Twp.) cracked two solo home runs over the left-field fence and delivered a bases-loaded double to lead The College of Wooster's offense, while Justin McDowell (Willard, Ohio / Willard) cruised to another win on the mound, as the Fighting Scots took their opening game of the NCAA Div. III Baseball Championship finals, 8-1 over Carthage College, at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

Wooster (40-9), which notches a 40-win season for the sixth time in program history, will next play the winner of Kean University (38-9) and Trinity (Conn.) College (33-5) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.

The difference in Friday's game came during the middle innings. With the Fighting Scots up 2-1 entering the fourth, Carthage's (36-8) first two batters got to second and third with no outs, however, McDowell worked his way out of the jam, forcing an infield pop-up, striking out the No. 8 hitter, and inducing an inning-ending grounder to short.

Karpen's first homer came with two outs during the home half of the fourth, easily clearing the double-tiered billboards in left for a 3-1 Wooster lead.

In the sixth, the Scots struck for four runs, with Karpen again providing the key hit. Zack Vesco (Pickerington, Ohio / St. Charles Prep) and Shane Swearingen (Hillard, Ohio / Bishop Watterson) each singled, and after falling behind 0-2, Luke Sutton (Galion, Ohio / Galion) drew a walk to load the bases with one out. At that point, the Red Men went to their bullpen and Karpen drove the very first pitch he saw just inside the left-field line for a two-run two-bagger.

The next two runs came during a squeeze play, as John Warren (New Castle, Pa. / Union Area) laid down an RBI bunt and the pitcher overthrew first base, which allowed Karpen to score as well.

With a 7-1 cushion, McDowell worked two more scoreless innings, stranding runners on third both times, and Karpen added his second home run in the bottom of the eighth.

Carthage had scored the initial run, when with two outs in the third, Tyler Eickmeyer found a narrow hole through the left side for a single and then John Lequia doubled high off the wall in left-center.

Wooster came right back during the bottom half of the frame. Warren earned a one-out walk and went to second on Stu Beath's (St. Louis, Mo. / Avon Old Farms – Conn.) sharply-hit single to center. With two outs, Matthew Pierce (Oklahoma City, Okla. / Casady School) blooped an RBI single to center and then Zack Vesco (Pickerington, Ohio / St. Charles Prep) sent one up the middle that bounded off the heel of the pitcher back to the second baseman, who was unable to handle the spinning ball for the force out as Beath came home to put the Scots up to 2-1.

McDowell, who gave up just one run on eight hits over eight innings, equaled a single-season school record with his 13th win (13-2), six of which have come during the postseason.

Karpen ended up 3-for-5 with four RBI, while Beath and Vesco also put up 3-for-5 efforts at the plate.