Zac Mathie

The College of Wooster won a wild 15-14 affair in the opener of Sunday's doubleheader with Case Western Reserve University, but dropped the nightcap by a 14-2 count for a split during the northeast Ohio foes' non-conference match-up at a very windy Art Murray Field in Wooster, Ohio.

With steady winds blowing out at 25-30 M.P.H. and gusting up to 44 M.P.H., the offenses combined for 32 hits during game one, and the conditions also effected the defense as each squad committed four errors. In fact, only 13 of the 29 runs scored were earned.

After spotting Case Western Reserve (25-12) a 2-0 lead with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first, Wooster (17-11) got a Greg Van Horn home run and a Derek Wyman double off the first two pitches it faced. Wyman came around to score via a Johnathan Ray single and the Fighting Scots would add an unearned tally to take the advantage at 3-2.

That was all of the scoring until the fourth when the teams combined for seven runs. First, the Spartans retook the lead with a pair (4-3), however, Wooster responded with a five-spot, capped by a grand slam off the bat of Zac Mathie.

Ahead 8-4, the Scots expanded their lead during the fifth inning. After Case Western Reserve put a single run on the scoreboard, Wooster took advantage of an error for four unearned runs, highlighted by a two-run double from Mathie, and a 12-5 cushion.

The offenses exchanged two runs apiece in the sixth, with both of the Scots coming in on a Michael Wellstead double, and the outcome seemed to be in hand with the hosts leading 14-7.

In the top of the eighth, though, the Spartans struck for seven runs, six of the unearned variety, thanks to three Wooster errors in the frame, to tie the game, and it could have been worse as they left the bases loaded.

The Scots came right back in their half of the eighth. Colin Meinzer drew a leadoff walk and then a one-out infield error put runners on first and second, and an out later, Mathie once again came up with the key hit, driving in Meinzer with a single.

That turned out to be the game-winner, as Matt Barnes closed out Case Western Reserve in the ninth for his third career save, second in the last four days. Tyler Fugate, who came in to start the seventh and was on the tough end of those six unearned runs in the eighth, ended up with the win (2-0).

Despite the winds, game two started out as a pitcher's duel between the Spartans' Ray Kelly and Barnes. Case Western Reserve notched an unearned run in the top of the first and Wooster eventually tied it in the third when Wellstead had a leadoff triple.

The difference came in the fifth inning. After Barnes struck out his seventh batter to start the frame, the Spartans' next six hitters all reached, four by hits, and they eventually all scored for a 7-1 lead.

The Scots could not muster any more offense against Kelly until the eighth, when pinch hitter Eddie Reese belted his first career home run. That cut the lead to 9-2.

Mathie, the hero of game one with a 3-for-4, 7-RBI performance, wound up with four hits on the day (4-for-7), as did Wellstead (4-for-7 with three RBI).

Wooster does not play again until Thursday when it welcomes Muskingum University (11-16) to Art Murray Field for a 4 p.m. opening pitch.