Scots Set NCAA Div. III Record, While Sweeping Hiram 14-0 and 15-3

WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster broke an NCAA Div. III record on Saturday afternoon by tripling four times in the same inning, highlighting its 14-0, 15-3 sweep over Hiram College during the teams' North Coast Athletic Conference East Division doubleheader at a cloudy Art Murray Field.

According to the NCAA records book, seven teams had recorded three triples in an inning previously in Div. III history, but the bottom of the fifth of Saturday's game two saw Wooster spray four three-baggers, including two by Matt Groezinger. With that effort, Groezinger becomes the sixth individual in Div. III to have a two-triple inning, the last coming April 9, 2006, when University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Gabe Neitzel accomplished the feat.

Groezinger, the Fighting Scots' switch-hitting, clean-up batter, led off the home half of the fifth on the left side of the plate and sent one into the left-center gap. That knocked Hiram's starter out of the game. Wooster would score three runs and two outs were recorded before triple No. 2 of the inning was delivered when Matthew Johnson drove a pitch into the right-center gap and legged it out for three bases.

The next two reached via a hit by pitch and walk, setting the stage for Groezinger again, and batting from the right side this time, he lined one into right. The outfielder made a diving attempt at the ball, but missed and it got by him, allowing Groezinger to get the bases-clearing triple. The ensuing at bat saw Greg Van Horn belt a towering shot to center. It stayed in the park, but went over the head of the centerfielder, allowing Van Horn to easily make it to third for the record-setting fourth triple of the inning.

Wooster scored nine runs that frame, breaking open what had been a 6-2 game, as it went on to the 12-run decision.

Matt DeGrand pitched the first five innings for the Scots to notch the game-two win (5-1). He allowed just one earned run on six hits and struck out six as well.

The day's opening game was scoreless through two and one-half innings before Wooster scored all 14 of its runs during the third, fourth, and fifth.

In the third, Stu Beath helped get the offense rolling, as he pulled a one-out, two-run double into right-center for the first of his three two-baggers during the twinbill. After a walk to Groezinger, Van Horn would triple to right-center, scoring both of them, and a sacrifice fly later, it was 5-0.

The fourth inning included a Shane Swearingen double and RBI singles from Beath and Groezinger, as the Scots plated four runs in all for a 9-0 cushion, and the big hit in the five-run fifth was a three-run home run for Van Horn.

Wooster ace Justin McDowell pitched five scoreless innings to pick up the victory (7-2). He yielded five hits, all of them singles, and a couple of walks, while striking out a pair.

Overall, Johnson, who started the Scots' offense in the nightcap with a home run, combined to go 6-for-7 with four RBI. Beath finished 5-for-7 with the three doubles and five RBI, Groezinger was 3-for-6 with five RBI, and Van Horn wound up with a 3-for-6, six-RBI effort. With those two triples, Van Horn now has seven for the season, which equals a Wooster record held by two other players.

Not to be overlooked, Michael DeBord (3-for-4) and Chirs Wood (3-for-7 with two RBI) also produced three hits apiece for the Scots.

The two teams will match-up in another NCAC divisional doubleheader on Sunday, starting at 11 a.m.