WOOSTER, Ohio – After falling behind early, The College of Wooster baseball team made things interesting with a seven-run fifth inning against seventh-ranked Baldwin Wallace University before the Yellow Jackets took the regular season finale from the Fighting Scots 18-9 on Sunday afternoon at Art Murray Field.
Wooster (16-21-1) senior right fielder Jack Whitehouse made a spectacular diving catch in shallow right center to get the Scots out of the top of the fifth inning. Junior second baseman Eli Westrick led off the bottom of the frame with a single up the middle and scored when sophomore center fielder Leo Widtmann was plunked by a Trent Bucy pitch with the bases loaded. Senior first baseman Dean Brown knocked in sophomore third baseman Nick Pett on an RBI fielder's choice, and a second Scot scored when Sean Kolenich's throw was wide of second base. Later, Whitehouse knocked an RBI single into left field, senior pinch hitter Riley McErlean roped a run-producing double down the left field line, sophomore Ben Carroll smoked an RBI single into right field, and Westrick knocked in the final run of the frame on a fielder's choice.
Carroll smoked his first collegiate home run over the fence in left field to lead off the third inning. Wooster had a chance to cut into Baldwin Wallace's (31-8) 15-9 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Scots left the bases loaded after relief pitcher Gordon Seger got the strikeout.
When it needed big plays, Baldwin Wallace got them. Ryan Guggenheim robbed first-year designated hitter Ryan Kramer with a leaping catch at the fence in left field that got the Yellow Jackets out of the third inning with two Scots on base. Baldwin Wallace turned four double plays in the game.
Wooster first-year Taran CoyneSmith made his collegiate debut in the third inning and struck out three-hole hitter Luke Vonderhaar to post a scoreless initial frame. Senior Hayden Sherry pitched a scoreless sixth inning. First-year Cooper Baer (0-1) took the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits in two innings.
Baldwin Wallace's Matt Sabin ran his record to 3-2 with 2 1/3 innings of relief. He was constantly in trouble, scattering six hits, but had just one run charged to him.
Westrick, who started the day tied for second in the North Coast Athletic Conference with 63 hits, upped his season count to 66. The second baseman went 2-for-4 with two walks, an RBI, and a run scored. Carroll, Pett, and Whitehouse were the other Scots with multi-hit games.
Guggenheim finished 5-for-5 to lead Baldwin Wallace at the plate. The Yellow Jackets' left fielder scored three times. Kolenich's two early homers propelled him to a 3-for-6 day with four RBI and three runs scored.
Next, Wooster opens up the NCAC Tournament against Wittenberg University (30-8, 14-2 NCAC) on Thursday, May 11. The NCAC Tournament runs May 11-14 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio. The NCAC will release complete tournament information upon the conclusion of Sunday's conference games.