Wooster Wins Final Three Games in Florida

DAVENPORT, Fla. – The College of Wooster baseball team won its final three games in Florida, capped by a 12-6 victory over Union College (New York) on Sunday afternoon.

Wooster's (8-10) four-game stretch started with Friday's 7-0 setback to Ripon College. Ripon's Mitchell Lukasik fired seven innings of five-hit shutout baseball before giving way to Rex Bayer, who allowed one hit in two shutout innings.

Four of Ripon's runs were unearned on the pitching lines of Wooster's staff. Junior Devin Anthony (0-4) allowed two unearned runs on four hits in six innings.

Wooster bounced back later Friday with a 5-4 win over the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Senior center fielder Leo Widtmann's two-run homer in the sixth inning tied the game at four. Junior designated hitter Colin Leslie drew a leadoff walk prior to Widtmann's homer.

In the seventh, sophomore third baseman Zack Barienbrock walked and advanced to third when junior first baseman Ryan Kramer laced an opposite-field single to right field. Senior left fielder Nick Pett knocked in Barienbrock with an RBI fielder's choice.

First-year Maxwell Snyder collected the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Sophomore Constantine Vernadakis went the final two innings with two strikeouts to earn the save.

First-year second baseman Aidan Krantz's two-run single to center in the sixth inning of Saturday's 5-4 win over Williams College was the go-ahead knock. Pett's one-out infield single started the three-run inning. Pett scored on Leslie's double to left field. Krantz's two-run single knocked in Leslie and senior right fielder Alex Gerdenich, who walked.

Senior Thomas Gfell (1-0) was the winning pitcher against Williams. He worked three innings and allowed a run on three hits. First-year James MacMillan retired the side in order in the ninth to nail down the save.

Wooster's trip concluded with Sunday's win over Union. Wooster jumped out to an early lead with a four-run first inning. Leslie plated a pair of two-out runs with a double that was followed by first-year shortstop Maanav Bhatt's RBI hit. Gerdenich sprinted home on a double steal attempt and got in ahead of Wooster's runner getting tagged out between first and second base.

Walks loaded the bases for Wooster in the third inning, when the Scots extended the lead to 9-0. Widtmann plated the first run of the inning with a single, while Barienbrock and Kramer each had two-run singles later in the frame.

Pett's solo homer and Widtmann's two-run single accounted for the Scots' final three runs in the sixth inning.

Sophomore Ben Tarpey (save one) worked four innings for Wooster in the Florida finale. He struck out five and did not allow a hit. The lone Union batter to reach was quickly erased trying to steal second base.

Widtmann went 6-for-10 with a team-leading seven RBI over the team's final four games in Florida.

Wooster's next game is at La Roche University (3-13) at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25.