UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The offenses dominated the first time The College of Wooster and John Carroll University tangled on the diamond this spring, and then the pitching shined in Sunday's non-conference matchup, won by the Blue Streaks 3-2 at Schweickert Field.
The teams combined to score 26 runs during a five-inning weather-shortened affair at Art Murray Field on March 29. It took until the seventh inning for the first run to touch home on Sunday. Wooster (15-19) struck first, as senior left fielder Jack Whitehouse walked, advanced to scoring position on a passed ball, and scored when sophomore designated hitter Leo Widtmann smacked a two-out single to right field.
Wooster squeezed into the lead in the eighth inning. Senior catcher Riley McErlean singled up the middle to start the frame and was at third base following junior second baseman Eli Westrick's single through the left side. First-year center fielder John Panstares sacrificed, plating McErlean and edging Wooster into the lead at 2-1.
John Carroll (23-12) struck for two in the bottom of the inning. Jack Harmon's two-run single held for the lead after teammate Samuel Basso retired the two Fighting Scots he faced in the bottom of the ninth, getting the Blue Streaks out of a bases-loaded jam.
Wooster senior Owen Barnard, from nearby Shaker Heights, started against the college in his hometown backyard. He kept the Blue Streaks scoreless over 4 2/3 innings. Senior Christian Johnston followed with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless one-hit relief. Sophomore Alex Gerdenich (0-4) took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits while only recording an out.
Jamon Higley went six shutout innings for John Carroll. He allowed three hits and struck out four. Sylvan Wiley scored the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Westrick was the lone Scot with multiple hits in the game, and as a team, Wooster had seven.
Harmon went 2-for-4 to lead John Carroll's lineup.
Next, Wooster is scheduled to resume its suspended game against the University of Mount Union at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2. The teams will then play their previously scheduled game at Mount Union.