WOOSTER, Ohio – Junior Jack Spring fired a five-hit shutout, then The College of Wooster baseball team's six-run first inning set the stage for a Saturday sweep over Wittenberg University at Art Murray Field. Wooster took game one 2-0 and game two 7-5 to run its winning streak to 13 games.
Spring (3-1) continued his impressive run of recent outings. The right-hander struck out seven and set down 15 straight Tigers (17-7, 2-2 North Coast Athletic Conference), starting with the second out of the first inning. The next Wittenberg batter to reach was Ashton Newton, who laced a one-out single up the middle in the sixth inning. Of note, Spring has allowed just two runs on 17 hits over his last four outings, which span 26 2/3 innings. He has struck out 34 during that time.
Wooster's (18-10, 8-0 NCAC) offense came from junior catcher Colin Leslie's two-run single to right center in the bottom of the fourth inning. Junior first baseman Ryan Kramer reached first, hitting a one-out single to left field. Then, senior left fielder Nick Pett singled to right field and advanced to second on the throw, putting two Fighting Scots in scoring position.
Tommy Anthony (2-1) took the loss in game one. He allowed two runs on four hits in four innings.
Wooster chased game-two starter Andrew Rust (4-1) from the game in the first inning with a six spot. Leslie's single to right field plated the game's first run, while senior right fielder Alex Gerdenich followed with an RBI single through the left side that made it 2-0. First-year shortstop Luke Rizzo's single to right center doubled Wooster's lead, then first-year second baseman David Guldin capped the six-spot with a double to right field.
Later, senior center fielder Leo Widtmann sacrificed Rizzo home in the fourth inning to make it 7-1. Rizzo reached on a hit-by-pitch, stole second, and moved up to third on Guldin's grounder.
Sophomore Michael Scarpelli was electric down the stretch to nail down the three-inning save. He held Wittenberg scoreless over those innings and allowed just one hit. Senior Thomas Gfell (2-0) fired 1 1/3 innings of shutout baseball in support of first-year starter Dame Frayne, who allowed just one earned run over 4 2/3 innings.
Rust was tagged for six runs on five hits in less than an inning of work.
Rizzo went 3-for-6 with two runs and two RBI. Leslie's three RBI were tops on the team and he and sophomore third baseman Zack Barienbrock rounded out the Scots with three hits on the afternoon.
Alex Nemunaitis led Wittenberg, going 3-for-7 with three RBI.
Of note, Wooster is in first-place at the halfway point of NCAC play, and the Scots are the lone remaining undefeated team in league action.
Next, Wooster hosts the University of Mount Union (18-7) in a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 13.
