Steve Hagen

The College of Wooster split a pair of pitcher's duels, defeating Wabash College 2-1 with a string of singles during the bottom of the 10th and then dropping a 3-2 decision to Case Western Reserve University during non-league action Saturday at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio, the same site of the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament about a month from now.

Behind the pitching of Josh Stidham and Steve Hagen, Wooster (11-10) entered the 10th inning knotted at one. After Hagen got through the heart of Wabash's (13-16) order 1-2-3 in the top of the frame, Eddie Reese, Zac Mathie, and Zach Jergan singled back-to-back-to-back, loading the bases with no outs. That brought up John McClain, who had entered as a pinch runner during the eighth, and the freshman sent a grounder to shortstop that turned into a fielder's choice, and the throw home to attempt to get Reese was off the mark.

Hagen earned the win (3-2) with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief, striking out four and yielding just one base hit, while Stidham was very effective before being pulled in the eighth. The only run that came across was unearned, as he gave up three hits while setting down seven on strikes in 7.0 innings.

For the Little Giants, it was JT Miller pitching a gem, as he struck out 17 Fighting Scot hitters during 7.2 innings. Wooster scratched out a run off Miller in the fourth, loading the bases before an out was recorded via a Johnathan Ray leadoff single, Cal Thomay walk, and Zack Vesco fielder's choice bunt. Bryan Miller plated the run on a grounder to shortstop.

In game two, Case Western Reserve scored two runs in the first inning to take an early lead. The Scots got one back during the third when Michael DeBord led off with a home run, the second of the senior catcher's career.

The Spartans responded with a tally of their own during the bottom of the frame, taking advantage of a Wooster miscue as it was unearned.

The scoring continue in the top of the fourth. Ray and Billy Farrow started with back-to-back singles, followed by a Vesco sacrifice bunt, and Miller plated Ray on a single to right field, however, that would be all of the game's scoring.

The Scots left runners in scoring position during the fifth, sixth, seventh, and ninth innings, as Edward Abramson notched the win (2-1) and Josh Suvak the save (1).

Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads was a bit of a tough-luck loser (3-2), with that winning run being unearned. He went 5.2 innings before giving way to Zach Klein, who limited Case Western Reserve to one hit over 2.1 scoreless innings.

Offensively, leadoff hitter Ryan Miner paced Wooster with a 5-for-10 day at the plate.

The Scots will play the second of three-straight games against the Spartans when they visit Cleveland on Tuesday at 4 p.m.