Gerdenich Walks Off Eureka to Run Wooster's Winning Streak to Four

WOOSTER, Ohio – Senior right fielder Alex Gerdenich lifted a sacrifice fly deep enough into right field to walk off Eureka College 6-5 in the 10th inning of Saturday's second game at Art Murray Field. Earlier in the day, Wooster took game one 6-2.

Wooster (5-7) caught a big break when first-year pinch runner Aidan Krantz's slide kicked a throw on the steal attempt into the outfield. Krantz moved up an additional 90 feet on the Eureka (4-8) error prior to Gerdenich's sacrifice fly.

Wooster had to overcome a 5-3 deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning. Gerdenich and first-year shortstop David Guldin walked prior to senior center fielder Leo Widtmann lacing a two-run game-tying double to the fence in left.

Eureka rallied back from a 3-2 deficit with a three-run ninth. Jon Leon Guerrero's RBI single tied the game at three before Ace Padilla laced a two-run double to left field.

Wooster took its first lead in the sixth inning of the nightcap. Junior catcher Nathaniel Huxtable singled to left field and scored to tie the game at one on junior first baseman Ryan Kramer's sacrifice fly. Next, senior left fielder Nick Pett's double to right field knocked in sophomore third baseman Zack Barienbrock, who doubled earlier in the inning. First-year Luke Rizzo hit a pinch-hit double that accounted for Wooster's final run of the inning.

Huxtable helped Wooster out of the seventh inning, throwing out Brandt King trying to steal second base. Sophomore Ben Tarpey's inning-ending strikeout in the eighth stranded a Eureka running in scoring position.

Sophomore Constantine Vernadakis (1-1) struck out King with the bases loaded to get Wooster out of the top of the 10th inning. That was the lone batter the right-hander was officially credited with facing.

In game one, Wooster's defensive highlights started when Widtmann tracked down a fly ball in the gap in left center in the third inning. In the fourth, Guldin ran down a fly ball in shallow left field. In the sixth, Pett threw out Mike Dunne at the plate. Dunne was trying to score on Ben Perrine's two-out single to left. Lastly, junior pitcher Patrick Wiggins started a game-ending 1-6-3 double play in the ninth.

First-year Dame Frayne (1-1) was in command during his fourth collegiate start. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings. He struck out six and retired 13 straight batters after allowing a leadoff walk in the second inning. Wiggins went the rest of the way with two scoreless frames for his first Wooster save.

Wooster took the lead in the third inning. Gerdenich singled up the middle and scored when Widtmann placed a two-run double up the alley in right center. Wooster extended its lead to 4-1 in the third when Pett stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on an error, all which occurred on the same play. In the fifth, Kramer scored on a wild pitch, while in the eighth, the All-American's single up the middle made it 6-2.

Aaron Cabrera was the game-one loser. He fell to 0-3 after allowing five runs on six hits in four innings.         

Huxtable went 4-for-8 on the day with two runs. Two of Barienbrock's three hits went down as doubles and he was one of three Scots to score twice.

David Hidden, whose solo homer made it 1-0 in the third inning of game two, led Eureka, going 2-for-5.

Next, Wooster heads to Florida for five games, starting with Tuesday's 2 p.m. game at Chain of Lakes Park against Ramapo College (6-2).

Photo by Nick Bostic '26