No. 25 Wooster Holds Off Hiram in Saturday Sweep

Timely home runs, plus key pitching performances from junior Colin Springer, lifted the 25th-ranked College of Wooster baseball team to a non-conference Saturday sweep over upset-minded Hiram College at Fishel Field in Hiram, Ohio. The Fighting Scots, back in the D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 25 Poll after falling out for three weeks, took game one 9-7 before winning the nightcap 5-4.

Saturday's opener featured a wild start, with Hiram (8-24) leading 4-2 after an inning of play. Wooster (15-5) sophomore first baseman Dane Camphausen staked the Scots to an early 2-0 lead with a first-inning round-tripper, while junior catcher Alex Gasper drilled an 0-1 offering from Hiram sophomore Stephen Javorek over the left field fence to pull the Scots within 4-3 in the second. After Gasper's dinger, sophomore third baseman Dean Brown found the alley in left field for a two-bagger, junior shortstop Tyler Chumita laced a tying single into left field, and junior right fielder Ben Hines legged out his co-team-leading third triple of the season, which resulted in the go-ahead run. Hines scooted in to score on a Javorek wild pitch to cap the four-run frame.

Senior designated hitter Noah Clement answered Hiram's second-inning run with a leadoff homer in the third, while Chumita upped Wooster's lead to 9-6 via a two-run single in the fifth.

Sophomore Ethan Samangy earned his first collegiate win with 2 2/3 innings of relief in support of sophomore starter Christian Johnston. Samangy allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, and the right-hander struck out two. Springer worked a scoreless seventh en route to collecting his team-leading third save.

Chumita's line in the opener was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Hines added three base knocks and an RBI, while Camphausen knocked in two.

David Paus went 2-for-4 with two RBI for Hiram. Javorek (2-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits in 2 1/3 innings.

The fifth inning, where Wooster scored four times, was the difference in the nightcap, and the Scots' rally started with Chumita getting hit by a pitch. After a walk issued to Hines and an error in the outfield loaded the bases, Camphausen lifted a sacrifice fly out to left field. Two batters later, Gasper cleared the bases with his second homer of the day, and that blast staked the Scots to a 5-3 lead.

Springer was instrumental in this win as well, with the right-hander working 3 2/3 innings to pick up the win. He allowed one run on two hits while striking out five. Springer, who struck out the side in the sixth, worked out of a jam in the seventh, with a little help from his defense. With runners on first and second, Chumita ranged to his right on a Curtis Caithaml grounder and threw out the lead runner at third base for the second out of the inning. Springer took matters into his own hands from there, as Kyle Workman couldn't catch up to the relief ace's 0-2 offering.

Hines had two of Wooster's five hits in the nightcap, while Gasper finished 1-for-3 with the three-run homer.

Workman's game-ending strikeout marked the first time the Terrier's first baseman didn't reach in game two. He went 3-for-4. Jacob Kocuba (2-5) took the loss after allowing two unearned runs on two hits in three innings.

Notable, Wooster now sports a seven-game winning streak.

Wooster and Hiram are set to meet again on Sunday. First pitch from Art Murray Field is set for noon.