Panstares Leads Scots Past Little Giants Before Wooster Bows Out of NCAC Tourney

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – First-year center fielder John Panstares sparked The College of Wooster baseball team with a grand slam, then kicked off a series of elite defensive plays during the Fighting Scots' 7-6 win over Wabash College in an elimination game at the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. Then, Wooster battled hard before falling 15-9 to Wittenberg University in a game that featured two rain delays and ended at 2:00 a.m.

Wooster, which concluded its season at 17-23-1, took the 4-1 lead on Wabash on Panstares' third-inning blast that exited VA Memorial Stadium in left field. Prior to that, senior catcher Riley McErlean walked, junior second baseman Eli Westrick placed a single so far in the hole on the left side that Wabash (24-18) shortstop Benjamin Henke had no play once he got to it, and sophomore left fielder Leo Widtmann legged out a bunt single.

Senior Ethan Samangy allowed just one inherited run after entering to a bases-loaded jam in the third inning. Samangy's postseason wizardry was on point, firing 3 2/3 innings, during which he allowed just one hit. The right-hander, who worked in 10 postseason games a season ago, needed four pitches to work a one-two-three fifth inning, and elite defense was the reason why. Panstares' diving catch retired AJ Reid, who lifted a first-pitch short fly ball to center field. Two pitches later, Widtmann ranged all the way to the line for a breathtaking diving catch on a sinking liner off the bat of Liam Patton, who was 5-for-7 when the teams faced each other on Saturday.

McErlean and Westrick picked Samangy up in the sixth inning, with the Scots' catcher throwing out Will Phillips, who was trying to steal second base with two outs. In the eighth inning, first-year first baseman Ryan Kramer dug out a low throw to retire Patton.

Wooster added to its lead over Wabash in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. In the fifth, singles from Westrick and junior shortstop Grant Mitchell gave Kramer a chance to bat. The first baseman answered the call with a shot up the middle that plated Westrick. In the sixth, Widtmann's speed kept the Little Giants from turning an inning-ending double play, as junior designated hitter Bryn Langley scored on the fielder's choice. Mitchell launched a solo homer to right center for the Scots' run in the seventh.

Senior Christian Johnston followed Samangy's (4-0) dominant outing with a one-two-three seventh inning. Sophomore Alex Gerdenich earned his second save, recording the final two outs.

Westrick's three hits against Wabash upped his season total to 70. Mitchell and Whitehouse had two hits each for Wooster against Wabash. Reid, who hit the three-run homer to pull Wabash within 7-6 in the ninth inning, went 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBI.

Wooster trailed 7-0 against Wittenberg (32-9) before coming to life in the third inning. Sophomore third baseman Taylor Cann was hit by a Nate Floyd pitch with one out and scored when Westrick smoked a triple to center field that was just out of the reach of Luke Thomas. Widtmann followed with a double to left center that scored Westrick.

Wooster trailed 11-2 when it chased Floyd from the game in the fifth inning. The three-spot that had Wooster within 11-5 started with Cann's single to right center. Later, Panstares singled through the left side, brining in first-year pinch runner Andrew McGowan. Senior right fielder Dean Brown capped the inning with a two-run single through the right side, which put runners on the corners. Wooster loaded the bases back up before first-year catcher Colin Leslie flied out to end the inning.

Three final runs scored for the Scots in the top of the ninth inning. RBI hits came off the bats of Kramer, Brown, and Langley, with the Scots going triple, double, single before the season ended.

Gerdenich (0-6) started and allowed seven runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings. Justin Maynard (3-0) collected the win. He allowed four runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Chase Whisner rolled in the elimination game, going 4-for-5 with three RBI, two runs and two doubles. Ben Seibert was a homer shy of the cycle, ending the marathon 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Mitchell had three hits in five at bats for Wooster.

No. 11 Denison University will play Wittenberg for the NCAC Tournament title on Sunday.

Photo by Kyle Youngblood, NCAC