DELAWARE, Ohio – Four takeaways, one of which was returned for a touchdown, plus a blocked punt returned for a touchdown enabled host Ohio Wesleyan University to pull away from The College of Wooster football team 31-7 on Saturday afternoon at historic Selby Stadium.

Wooster's (2-1, 1-1 North Coast Athletic Conference) bright spot came just before halftime when senior Mateo Renteria hooked up with junior EJ Humphries on a 12-yard touchdown pass. Junior Lake Barrett's extra point try made it a 10-7 game with :58 left on the first-half clock. Leading up to the score, Renteria found first-year Bryant Douglas II for a 25-yard completion on a second-and-10 play, and Hissong moved the chains 21 yards on a third-and-10 catch.

Defensively, senior Chris Savaglio and sophomore Neil Clayton dragged down Ohio Wesleyan's (3-0, 2-0 NCAC) Trey Dixon at the line of scrimmage on a third-and-1 play from the Battling Bishops' 35-yard line in the third quarter. Ohio Wesleyan wound up punting with its lead still 17-7, but Wooster couldn't answer with three punts, an interception, and a turnover on downs the rest of the way.

Wooster found success working the ball to star tight end Cole Hissong, who went for 114 yards on eight catches. The senior D3football.com Preseason All-American had Wooster primed on the Scots' second offensive series by rumbling down inside Ohio Wesleyan's 10-yard line, only to have that play brought back to Wooster's 37 after a 10-yard holding flag was marked off.

That theme of inopportune miscues hampered Wooster's progress all day long. A low snap on a second-quarter field goal try wiped out a scoring chance after a 12-play, 79-yard drive worked its way inside Ohio Wesleyan's 10-yard line. On Wooster's next offensive possession, K.D. Melton picked off Renteria's second-down pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter Drew Thornton blocked Wooster's punt, and Sam Heyer scooped up the pigskin for a 20-yard touchdown return that put Ohio Wesleyan up 16-7 at the 10:54 mark.

Ohio Wesleyan put the game out of reach on a 39-yard Kaden Buza-to-Kenny Streb touchdown connection with 2:36 left in the game.

Renteria completed 20-of-41 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown, but he was picked off three times on the day. He did move pass Justin Schafer (2003-06) for fifth-place on Wooster's all-time passing yardage list, with a six-yard third-quarter completion to senior Troy Baughman upping the career haul to 5,467 yards. The Scots logged three receptions of at least 30 yards in length with Hissong, Douglas II, and sophomore Carter Warstler all getting in on the big chain movers. Baughman rushed 13 times for 47 yards.

Defensively, senior Angelo Petracci was atop the tackle leaderboard for the third time in as many games this season with 10. Sophomore Domenic DeMuth and Savaglio followed with eight and seven, respectively.

Ohio Wesleyan's Austin Womack completed 10-of-18 passes for 177 yards, while Dixon toted the ball 17 times for 83 stripes, and he added 74 yards on three receptions out of the backfield. Jay Hines led the receivers with 63 yards on five grabs.

Shane Quin and Cody Streit logged seven tackles apiece, and Melton caused mayhem everywhere with two sacks on top of his pick-six.

Ohio Wesleyan outgained Wooster 405-355, and both teams struggled to convert on third down, with the Bishops finishing 6-of-16 to the Scots' 5-of-16 mark.

Next, Wooster hosts DePauw University (1-1, 1-0 NCAC) on Saturday, September 25 as part of Black & Gold Weekend. Kickoff from John P. Papp Stadium is set for 2 p.m.