Wooster Punches Ticket to NCAC Tournament

WOOSTER, Ohio – A pair of six-run innings, the third inning of game one and the seventh of game two, paved the way for The College of Wooster to sweep Ohio Wesleyan University, 11-3 and 15-5, during the teams' North Coast Athletic Conference Cross-Over Series on Saturday afternoon at Art Murray Field.

With the series win, Wooster (28-10, 14-3 NCAC) advances to the NCAC Tournament, which will take place May 9-11 in Chillicothe, Ohio.

In the opener, the Fighting Scots spotted Ohio Wesleyan (18-18, 8-10 NCAC) a 2-0 lead in the first inning, then scored four runs during their first four batters of the second. Zac Mathie battled his way to a nine-pitch walk, Frank Vance singled up the middle, and Cal Thomay laid down a sacrifice bunt on the first pitch he saw and the third baseman threw it up the line in right, which allowed both Mathie and Vance to score and Thomay to get to third. Craig Day followed with a home run about five feet inside the foul pole in left, as Wooster took a lead (4-2) that it would not relinquish.

The Battling Bishops did get one back in the top of the third, only to see the Scots break the game open with a six-spot. Mathie doubled into the corner in right to plate Reese, who had taken a leadoff walk. Wooster proceeded to load the bases via a Vance walk and another Thomay bunt that was not handled by the defense. Day, Ryan Miner, and Bryan Miller all followed suit with singles, each producing an RBI. Miner scored the last run of the inning via a passed ball, and the Scots were comfortably ahead 10-3.

Wooster tallied an unearned run in the fourth and that completed the scoring for the nine-inning affair.

After giving up three runs through three innings, Scot ace Keenan White settled down en route to extending his perfect record to 10-0 on the season. He went the first eight innings, yielding seven hits, and struck out five.

The nightcap featured four home runs by Wooster. The first came off the bat of Thomay, who drilled a 3-1 pitch in the fourth inning well over the left-field fence, a two-run shot that gave the Scots a 3-1 lead. Wooster added two more runs that frame, thanks in part to a pair of Ohio Wesleyan errors.

The Battling Bishops clawed back to within 6-5 through six innings. Next, the Scots broke it open again with the six-run frame. The first two, Thomay and Day, reached via hit by pitch, and Miner laid down a sacrifice bunt that resulted in the first run due to a throwing error. A sacrifice fly made it 8-5 and then the big blow came courtesy of John McLain, who hit a two-run homer to left. Two hitters later, it was Mathie's turn for a two-run homer, this one to the opposite field (left-center), and Wooster was well on its way to the victory, ahead 12-5.

Miller belted a three-run round-tripper, the first home run of his career, in the eighth to help seal the outcome.

On the mound, Matt Felvey notched the win (4-2). He allowed four runs over five innings, and set down four on strikes.

Overall, Thomay was a perfect 5-for-5 on the day with a double, the homer, and the sacrifice, and he also reached safely via a hit by pitch and a walk. Miller also had five hits (5-for-9).

The squads will complete their series on Sunday, with first pitch slated for noon.