Scots Sweep Terriers, Close in on NCAC Tourney Berth

WOOSTER, Ohio – First-year Devin Anthony delivered one of his top performances in his debut weekend North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader start, as The College of Wooster baseball team closed in on a spot in the upcoming four-team league tournament with Saturday's sweep over Hiram College at Art Murray Field. Wooster poured on the offense to overcome some early-afternoon defensive miscues in a 16-6 game-one win, then rolled past the Terriers 8-2 in the nightcap.

Anthony (5-0), making his third NCAC start, handcuffed Hiram (12-22, 1-11 NCAC) for eight innings, allowing just two hits. He retired seven straight Terriers to start his debut Saturday outing, and was back in total command after working out of trouble in the third inning with hitless fourth and fifth innings. The right-hander went eight-plus with a run on four hits with six strikeouts on his line.

Sophomore third baseman Alex Gerdenich's single through the left side made it 1-0 in the second inning of the nightcap. Sophomore left fielder Leo Widtmann, who led off the inning with a single up the middle, scored on the play.

Things stayed relatively quiet in game two until Wooster (15-18, 10-4 NCAC) broke things open with a five-run eighth inning. Senior right fielder Dean Brown tripled to lead off the inning, and extra bases continued when senior pinch hitter Jack Whitehouse lifted a double out to right field. Later, first-year first baseman Ryan Kramer cleared bases that were full of Scots with a three-run double to right center.

Jack Conley (2-4) was the game-two loser after allowing five runs on 11 hits in seven innings.

While the Scots had pop in the bats with four homers in game one, it was sophomore third baseman Nick Pett stealing the show in his return to Wooster's lineup. Pett legged out two triples, tying the program's single-game record. It marked the 17th time a Wooster player hit multiple triples in a game and the first since All-American Ben Gbur against Case Western Reserve University in 2021.

The longballs came off the bats of junior shortstop Grant Mitchell, who had a 4-for-5 game one with four RBI and three runs scored, first-year center fielder John Panstares, who was 2-for-4 with three RBI, Widtmann, who had two hits, and Brown, who had a 3-for-4 opener with two RBI and two runs scored.

Wooster played from behind in the opener until Panstares hit a two-run shot in the fourth that made it 7-5. Brown's blast to right center upped the lead to 8-5 in the fifth inning, and Mitchell's two-run double down the right field line doubled up Hiram at 10-5 later in the frame.

Junior Corey Knauf ran his record to 3-2. He allowed six runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, but just one of the runs was earned. Senior Ryan Sullivan kept the Terriers off the board the rest of the way in his return to a bullpen role. The left-hander appeared in both games on the day.

Jacob Koces' record evened out at 3-3 after getting tagged for seven runs on 11 hits in four innings.

Kramer and Mitchell had five hits apiece to lead Wooster, and they combined for nine RBI, six runs, and five doubles. Brown and Widtmann were next with eight hits and five runs between them.

Hal Walker Jr. led Hiram's lineup with a 4-for-8 showing. Connor Bansek had four RBI and three hits.

Wooster needs a league win, a league loss by Kenyon College (19-12 6-6 NCAC), or two league losses by Wabash College (22-13, 6-5 NCAC) to officially clinch a spot in the NCAC Tournament.

Next, Wooster is at John Carroll University (22-12) for a 1p.m. game on Sunday, April 30.