Knauf's Shutout, Pett's Stolen Base Record Headline Wooster's 5-0 Week in Florida

FORT PIERCE, Florida – Senior Corey Knauf led off The College of Wooster baseball team's week in Florida with his second career shutout, and the Fighting Scots kept the momentum up all week by posting a 5-0 record in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Knauf's masterpiece came in Wooster's (9-3) 6-0 win over Marywood University (Pennsylvania) on Monday. The right-hander scattered three hits and struck out nine in the seven-inning game. Knauf struck out the side in the fourth inning, then recorded strikeouts eight and nine in the sixth to escape a jam that saw a Marywood runner reach third base.

Offensively, Wooster scored immediately, with senior shortstop Eli Westrick starting the bottom of the first inning with a single up the middle. Sophomore first baseman Ryan Kramer followed with his team-leading fourth homer of the season. Wooster's lead was 5-0 after the second, thanks to a two-run opposite-field double off the bat of sophomore catcher Colin Leslie.

The Pacers tested Leslie early, and Wooster's catcher made Marywood pay. The sophomore threw out shortstop Adam Ginsburg trying to steal second for the final out of the first inning. In the third, a back pick from Leslie tripped up Marywood's Tristan Gatchalian.

Next, Wooster topped Marywood 5-3 in Monday's nightcap. Sophomore second baseman Andrew McGowan's leadoff double in the top of the second inning eventually resulted in the game's first run when sophomore center fielder John Panstares lifted a sacrifice fly out to left field. Sophomore Nathaniel Huxtable led off the third inning with a hit by pitch and scored on first-year designated hitter Zack Barienbrock's opposite-field single.

Sophomore Devin Anthony ran his record to 3-0 on the season by allowing three runs on six hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out five. Junior Thomas Gfell worked a scoreless sixth inning, while classmate Alex Gerdenich scored save two by setting down the Pacers in order in the seventh inning.

Early offense led Wooster to a 9-6 win over Thiel College (Pennsylvania) in Tuesday's game. Wooster's first two batters – Westrick and Kramer – walked in the top of the first inning and scored on Barienbrock's single through the left side and junior third baseman Nick Pett's fielder's choice, respectively.

Wooster stole its way to two runs in the third inning. Leslie led off the frame with a single through the left side and swiped second and third base before scoring on McGowan's sacrifice fly. Next, Pett was hit by a pitch, and he too motored around the bases, moving up to third via two stolen bases before scoring on Panstares' ground out. Of note, Wooster swiped 10 bases in the game, including five from Pett, who joined Terry Gladis (1994) and Paul Ricatte (1937) atop the single-game program leaderboard.

Consecutive hits in the form of a triple by senior left fielder Grant Mitchell, an infield single by Westrick, and a Kramer double knocked in three runs for Wooster in the fifth, which upped the lead to 7-0. Of note, Mitchell's triple moved the senior into the top-10 in program history, and he is currently tied for seventh with 10 career three-baggers. The Scots went on to tack on two more runs in the seventh.

First-year Isaiah Vance started against Thiel and did not allow a run in 3 1/3 innings. Sophomore Sammy De Maio helped the first-year escape a fourth-inning jam and went on to earn his first win of the year. Gerdenich held the Tomcats scoreless in the ninth inning for his third save of the year.

Next, Wooster topped Gettysburg College (Pennsylvania) 5-3 on Thursday. Wooster took the lead with a three-run fifth inning, capitalizing on a dropped fly ball in right field. Following the drop, Kramer promptly doubled to right, scoring Mitchell, who legged out a hustle double two batters prior. Two batters later, Leslie drew a bases-loaded walk for the go-ahead RBI, and Pett was plunked with the bases loaded later in the inning.

Sophomore Jack Spring won his first game, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings. First-year Noah Kasper went the rest of the way, allowing a run on two hits in the three-inning save. Double plays aided the Scots tremendously, with Westrick starting an inning-ending 6-3 two-for-one special to end the sixth inning. Junior Ben Carroll tracked down a liner off the bat of Robert Murphy and was able to double up a Bullet at first base in the ninth inning.

Wooster's week concluded with Friday's 14-6 win over Washington College (Maryland). Kramer's two-run double gave Wooster the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning. Wooster went on to tack on two more runs via a Leslie RBI single and a Panstares sacrifice fly to claim a 5-2 lead.

The seventh inning is where Wooster broke the Florida finale wide open, as the Scots scored six times to take a 13-4 lead. Panstares' two-run single, senior right fielder Bryn Langley's RBI double, and Kramer's two-run single were the big knocks. Wooster's final run of the inning scored on a Washington College throwing error.

De Maio picked up his second win of the week with 2 1/3 innings of strong relief in support of first-year starter Ben Tarpey. Gfell went 2 1/3 innings to earn his first collegiate save. The right-hander was inserted with Wooster protecting a 7-4 lead in the top of the seventh.

Wooster hit .358 (58-for-162) as a team for the week, led by Barienbrock's .526 average (10-for-19). Mitchell hit .467 (7-for-15) and posted the co-team-high of six runs scored. Kramer, who also scored six times, was the leading RBI producer at nine. He hit .421 (8-for-19) for the week.

The Scots' speed was a big difference, as Wooster swiped 20-of-22 bases on the week. Pett led the team, finishing 9-for-9, while Leslie went 4-for-4.

Next, Wooster is off to Georgia for a week. The Scots first stop is LaGrange College (10-4). First pitch on Sunday, March 17 is set for 2 p.m.