WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Sophomore Jack Henderson's power surge continued with a go-ahead three-run home run, and The College of Wooster baseball team held off Otterbein University's ninth-inning rally for a 10-8 win on Thursday afternoon at Fishbaugh Field.
Henderson, who just hit his first collegiate round-tripper during Wednesday's doubleheader against Hiram College, blasted a Travis Burson offering over the left field fence to make it an 8-5 game in the seventh inning. Prior to the long ball, Wooster (12-7) tied the game at five when junior first baseman Dane Camphausen's RBI groundout plated senior right fielder Ben Hines, who led off the inning with a single up the middle.
Luke Barber, Otterbein's (14-7) top position player, clubbed a two-out, three-run homer of his own in the bottom of the ninth to pull the Cardinals within 10-8. Consecutive singles followed Barber's dinger, putting the tying run 270 feet from home. Senior Mitchell Reardon (save one) entered and slammed the door on the comeback bid by getting Noah Sprowls to fly out to senior center fielder Ben Gbur.
Wooster added two huge insurance runs in the eighth inning. Senior shortstop Tyler Chumita, who entered play averaging two RBI per game, capped his day with three on a two-run, opposite-field single. Gbur reached on an error and Hines walked prior to the base hit, and like clockwork, the duo advanced 90 feet closer on a double steal. For Hines, the swipe marked his fourth of the day, a total one off the single-game program record.
Junior Christian Johnston (1-0) earned the win. He worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. First-year Josh Livengood made his first collegiate start and went 1 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits. Junior Ethan Samangy relieved in the second and went 3 1/3 innings, with three runs (two earned) on five hits posted to his line.
Otterbein's Alex Hook (1-1) allowed two runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief.
Chumita and Hines did the bulk of the damage offensively, combining to go 4-for-6 with five runs, four RBI, and four stolen bases.
Barber had a 3-for-5 day with four RBI and two runs scored.
Next, Wooster (2-2 North Coast Athletic Conference) is at Ohio Wesleyan University (6-15, 1-3 NCAC) on Sunday, April 10 for a noon twin bill. As a result of the Ohio Wesleyan date shifting to Sunday, Wooster's game that was scheduled for April 10 at La Roche University is postponed and a rescheduled date has not been set at this time.
photo courtesy of Otterbein's Maddie Sasfy