WOOSTER, Ohio – One inning changed the entire complexion of Saturday's opener between The College of Wooster baseball team and Wabash College, resulting in a 9-2 Fighting Scots' win. Wabash took game two by a 6-2 score at Art Murray Field.
Wooster (19-14, 9-3 North Coast Athletic Conference) scored all nine runs in the eighth inning, four of which came on a grand slam off the scoreboard by senior right fielder Alex Gerdenich. Junior catcher Colin Leslie's RBI double to left field brought in the Scots' first run, then senior center fielder Leo Widtmann's two-run single up the middle gave Wooster the lead at 3-2. First-year shortstop Luke Rizzo's single to center made it 4-2, and later Leslie knocked a single down the left field line for his second run-producing hit of the inning.
Wabash's Aidan McConnell carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before Wooster first-year second baseman Maanav Bhatt broke it up with a single down the right field line. Robbie Manuzzi (3-1) was unable to get the job done out of the bullpen for Wabash, allowing seven runs on six hits without recording an out.
Wooster junior Jack Spring (4-2) went the distance. He allowed two runs on 10 hits in nine innings with three strikeouts. The right-hander now has two complete games on the year.
Wooster tied game two at one in the third inning. Gerdenich walked and moved up on a pair of sacrifice bunts. Following the bunts, Leslie lifted a sacrifice fly deep enough into right to knock Gerdenich in.
Wooster again was held hitless for the first several innings in the nightcap before Widtmann broke up Jarrod Kirsch's (3-0) bid in the sixth. In the seventh, Rizzo singled through the left side and scored on Gerdenich's double to left center that had Wooster within 5-2.
Offensively, Wabash struggled in the bunting department. Leslie caught a popped up bunt in the fifth inning and first-year pitcher James MacMillan fielded a bunt in time to get the lead runner at second in the sixth inning. Other defensive highlights included DJ Mendez lining into an inning-ending double play to Bhatt in the fourth. In game one, Gerdenich threw out William McKinzie at the plate to end the first inning.
First-year Dame Frayne took the loss in game two. He allowed two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. Kirsch held Wooster to two runs on three hits in 6 2/3 innings, then Jackson Woehr worked 2 1/3 innings of two-hit shutout relief.
Junior first baseman Ryan Kramer and Rizzo had three hits each for Wooster. Evan Neukam went 4-for-8 with two runs scored for Wabash.
Next, Wooster hots Bethany College (West Virginia) (10-22) at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 27. Wooster will recognize its senior class prior to first pitch, with the senior recognition taking place at 12:35 p.m.
