Wyatt Linde

The College of Wooster took advantage of seven walks issued during the first two innings, and 11 overall, as it jumped out to an early 7-1 lead on Otterbein University and rolled to an 11-3 non-conference victory Tuesday at Westerville, Ohio.

After the starting pitcher for Otterbein (27-8) induced the leadoff hitter into an out, he walked four consecutive batters, giving Wooster (27-9) its first run. Drew Tornow produced another via an RBI groundout off of a relief pitcher, but the Cardinals escaped further damage in the first inning.

While there weren't as many walks during the top of the second, the Fighting Scots still produced a five-run frame. Kenny Reckart led off with a double, and the bases were eventually loaded with one out, courtesy of a walk and a Joey Gilmore single. Michael Wielansky then drew an RBI walk, and following another pitch change, Jamie Lackner delivered a sacrifice fly, Ryan Ostendorf singled up the middle for another score, and Tornow drove in two via a double down the right-field line for the early six-run cushion.

Wooster pulled away further in the fifth inning, with the help from a couple more walks. Ahead 7-2 at the time, the Scots loaded the bases with no outs with the two walks, sandwiched around a Reckart single. A fielder's choice resulted in one score, a sacrifice fly plated Reckart for another, and later, Lackner added a run-scoring single, which upped the lead to 10-2.

The Scots cruised from there, thanks to a solid pitching performance. First-year lefty Wyatt Linde picked up his first career win (1-1), getting Wooster through the fifth inning via 2.1 innings of relief work with just one run allowed on two hits.

Next, Dylan McCreary, Jake Kail, and Hank Schlueter combined to one-hit Otterbein over the last four innings, with Kail pitching two of them.

At the plate, Wielansky led the way with a 2-for-3, two-walk day, while Gilmore (2-for-4), Reckart (2-for-4), and Chandler Dippman (2-for-4) also registered two hits apiece.

The two teams will complete their mid-week home-and-home series on Wednesday at Wooster's Art Murray Field, starting at 4 p.m.