WOOSTER, Ohio – Down to its final strike, The College of Wooster baseball team's first-year first baseman Ryan Kramer lifted a game-tying two-run home run just beyond the outstretched glove of a leaping Zachary Mazza in right center at Art Murray Field. After a scoreless 10th inning, the teams halted the game tied at six. The game was scheduled to resume on May 2, but due to rain, the teams were unable to resume it and play the previously scheduled non-conference clash between old Ohio Athletic Conference rivals. Due to Wooster's final exams schedule and game schedule, the teams are unable to rebook at date for the resumption and regular game, and as a result, the halted game was declared a tie on May 2. It is Wooster's first game that ended in a tie since the 1997 season. The date of the tied game officially goes on the season ledger as April 25, per NCAA policies.
Junior second baseman Eli Westrick roped his third hit of the clash to start the ninth inning. Mount Union relief ace Chuck Hawley retired the next two Wooster batters and had Kramer down in the count 0-2. Hawley went with the chase pitch and did not get Kramer to bite before this week's North Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week locked in for the 1-2 offering.
Mount Union threatened in the top of the 10th when Mazza smoked a two-out double to left field. After an intentional walk to put the force at second and third in play, Kramer backpedaled to get to Jaired Lehman's foul fly ball down the right field line for the final out of the inning. Christopher Phillips retired the Scots in order in the bottom of the frame.
At the start, Westrick led off the bottom of the first inning with a triple to right center and scored on junior shortstop Grant Mitchell's RBI ground out. Wooster scored again, yet was unable to really capitalize on subpar glove work by Mount Union, which made four errors in the first inning. First-year center fielder John Panstares walked, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error, and scored on a booted grounder to make it 2-0.
Mount Union pulled within one in the third inning on Andrew Mekeal's RBI double. Wooster claimed the run back for a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore third baseman Andy Heintz walked to start the inning and hustled over to third on the hit-and-run single off the bat of senior left fielder Jack Whitehouse. Westrick followed smacking an RBI single past the outstretched glove of Mount Union third baseman Joseph Lenart.
After pulling within 3-2, Mount Union opened the eighth inning with back-to-back walks. Chase Angotti laid down the sacrifice bunt and wound up reaching on a Wooster throwing error, which allowed the tying run to score. Later, Mazza, the OAC Hitter of the Week, blasted a three-run homer out to left center that made it 6-3.
Junior Bryn Langley lifted Wooster with a pinch-hit homer to lead off the eighth inning. First-year catcher Colin Leslie followed with a walk, but Mount Union took care of Wooster with an inning-ending double play.
Panstares nearly made a highlight-reel diving catch to start the game. While he could not quite get there, he did recover in time to throw out Alex Stegman, who was caught trying to stretch his fortunes into a double. Panstares did make a fine running catch in the gap just before hitting the outfield fence in the second inning. Other key defensive plays included Heintz fielding a grounder and stepping on third base to get the Scots out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning, and the sophomore did it again in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Panstares tracked down a fly ball in the gap, which stranded two more Purple Raiders on the bases.
Sophomore Alex Gerdenich started and allowed one run on four hits in four innings. Senior Ian Leon fired a scoreless ninth inning, which included him painting the corner at the hallow of the kneecap to ring up Vince Armeni in what marked the left-hander's first batter faced on the year.
Anthony Warner started for Mount Union and held Wooster to three runs on three hits in five innings. Hawley allowed three runs on three hits in 3 2/3 innings. Phillips is still in the game for Mount Union and has pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings thus far.
Westrick has three of Wooster's six hits, while Mazza is 2-for-6 with three RBI for Mount Union.
Wooster's midweek slate continues on Wednesday, April 26, when the Scots head to Cleveland to take on Case Western Reserve University (22-12) at 4 p.m.