Chris Fafalios

Jacob Solomon

WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster used a series of high-scoring innings – three with five runs and two with four runs – to key an 11-4, 18-5 sweep against Hiram College in North Coast Athletic Conference divisional action Sunday at Art Murray Field.

Wooster (24-5, 10-2 NCAC East), which also won two games from Hiram (7-22, 3-11 NCAC East) on Saturday, gained a commanding lead early in the first game, courtesy of a five-run second. A day after belting a grand slam, Jake Fling again came up with the bases loaded and provided another big hit, this time sending a two-out triple into the right-field corner to give the Fighting Scots a 4-0 lead. He scored via a wild pitch.

John McLain doubled in a run during the third to push the advantage to 6-0, and Wooster broke the game wide open in the fifth with five more scores. Frank Vance sliced a double into left field and Jamie Lackner followed suit with a two-bagger into the left-center gap to drive in two runs. McLain singled in Lackner, and with two outs, Chris Fafalios and Kenny Reckart both dropped in RBI singles to make it 11-0.

The Terriers produced some late offense, but Scot starter Danny Reese still went the distance, marking the senior's first career complete game. Over the seven innings, he struck out three without issuing a walk en route to improving to 4-1 on the season.

In game two, Hiram jumped out on top for the first time in the teams' four-game weekend set, plating four runs during the top of the third to go ahead 5-1.

That lead didn't last long, as Wooster scored five times during the bottom of the frame and four times in the fourth to take control. Joey Gilmore began the third with a single and stole second base, then with one out, Lackner brought him home via a single. That started a hit parade, as Vance, Jacob Solomon, Tyler Schuch, and Ian Vernier all followed with base knocks, highlighted by Schuch's double. Vernier's RBI single put the Scots on top, 6-5.

Gilmore helped set up another big inning in the fourth with a leadoff single and stolen base. Next, McLain took a hit by pitch, Lackner singled in Gilmore, and a Vance sacrifice fly plated McLain. With two outs, Vernier drove a double into left-center for two more runs and a 10-5 cushion.

Wooster kept scoring with two runs in the fifth, two in the sixth, and four in the eighth, all coming on a Fafalios' grand slam. It was the first home run of the junior's career.

On the mound, freshman Nanak Saran started and won his second collegiate game (2-0) as he went the first five innings.

Lackner (4-for-9, 3 RBI) and Solomon (4-for-7, 3 RBI) paced the Scots' offense with four-hit days.

On Tuesday afternoon, Wooster will be at John Carroll University (21-9) for a non-conference affair, starting at 4 p.m.