Wittenberg Takes NCAC Opener from Wooster, 6-3

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Wittenberg University had The College of Wooster baseball team's number on the opening day of the 2023 North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, with the Tigers taking Thursday afternoon's game 6-3 at VA Memorial Stadium.

With the loss, Wooster (16-22-1) will look to ward off elimination in Friday's 3 p.m. game against Wabash College (24-17), which saw a five-run lead erased by No. 11 Denison University (32-8), as the Big Red won the tournament opener 9-5.

Wooster climbed back into Thursday's contest with a three-run sixth inning. First-year third baseman Andrew McGowan walked to lead off the frame, and the Scots had bases loaded after sophomore left fielder Leo Widtmann placed a single into right center and first-year center fielder John Panstares was hit by a Nick Cunningham pitch. First-year designated hitter Ryan Kramer lifted a sacrifice fly to right field for Wooster's first run, then senior right fielder Jack Whitehouse blasted a two-run triple up the alley in right center to pull the Scots within 5-3.

Panstares was a force for Wooster, reaching base safely all four trips to the dish. The first two came on singles, with both going up the middle. The final two times, he reached on hit by pitches. Panstares was aggressive on the bases, stealing two bases, but Parker Gryskevich also threw out the center fielder twice.

Luke Thomas, Wittenberg's center fielder, was 4-for-4 with two doubles, two singles, and four RBI. He scored the first run of the game when designated hitter Matt Moore knocked him in with a single through the left side. Thomas' two-run double in the second made it a 3-0, and Wittenberg led 5-0 after four innings of play.

Wooster's defense saved two runs from scoring. Sophomore third baseman Nick Pett threw out Maxwell Monachino at home plate on a fielder's choice off the bat of Chase Whisner in the second inning. In the seventh, Monachino laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Wooster junior right-hander Corey Knauf handled it with ease, spun, threw home, and first-year catcher Colin Leslie applied the tag on Ian Ash.

Cunningham improved to 7-3. He allowed three runs on six hits in six innings, during which he struck out five. Charlie Shafer earned his fourth save with three innings of one-hit shutout baseball.

Wooster first-year Devin Anthony suffered his first loss. He allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Wooster had seven hits and Panstares was the only one with multiple. Ash and Gryskevich had two hits each to support Thomas' game-high four.

Denison and Wittenberg meet in the winners' bracket at 11 a.m. The loser of the Denison-Wittenberg game meets the winner of the Wooster-Wabash game at approximately 6 p.m. on Friday. Please note the NCAC announced Friday will follow a 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. game schedule due to weather. The tournament was originally slated for a noon – 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. schedule.

Photo by Keri Alexander Luchowski, NCAC