DELAWARE, Ohio – An eight-run fourth inning in game two led the Case Western Reserve University baseball team to a doubleheader split at Ohio Wesleyan University on Friday afternoon at Littick Field. The Spartans squandered an extra-inning lead in game one and fell 6-5 in nine innings but rebounded with a 10-5 victory in game two.
The Spartans move to 10-6 overall and are right back in action tomorrow afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. twinbill at Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania.
With the split, the Battling Bishops sit at 6-5 for the spring.
In game one, the Spartans opened up a 3-0 advantage in the third thanks to back-to-back RBI singles by senior shortstop Matt Keen (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) and sophomore rightfielder Andrew Gronski (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson). Keen scored the third run of the inning on a failed pick-off attempt as the hosts committed a pair of errors in the frame.
The Battling Bishops cut into the deficit in the fourth with a two-run homerun off the bat of Ben Steele then tied the score in the seventh as J.J. Buckey led off with a double then crossed home on a groundout.
In extra innings, the Spartans seemed to grab a hold of the game with a pair of runs in the ninth as Keen hit an RBI double, and Gronski drove in one on a fielder's choice.
However, the hosts refused to fold and picked up the deciding three runs in the bottom of the inning as Aaron Caputo hit a two-run double then scored on a game-winning single by Sean Vollenweider.
Junior reliever Jose Vega (Strongsville, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) pitched a scoreless eighth but wasn't able to get through the ninth in his second loss of the season. Senior left-hander Jarrett Gish (Jupiter, Fla./Suncoast) took the no decision, allowing three earned runs in seven innings with five strikeouts.
Keen was 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted-in, while Gronski was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Junior third baseman Andrew Frey (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) finished 2-for-4.
Caputo led the Battling Bishops at the plate with a 4-for-5, two-RBI effort. Buckey was 1-for-4 offensively and threw 2.1 shutout innings of relief to pick up his first win of the season.
In game two, the Spartans struck first once again with two runs in the second thanks to a pair of Bishop errors. Sophomore designated hitter Robert Winemiller (Twinsburg, Ohio/University School) and sophomore catcher Jordan Swisher (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) each picked up RBIs during the inning.
Much like the opener, OWU cut into its deficit with a run in the bottom of the second off of a Steven Moore RBI double. But, unlike the opener, the Spartans kept the heat on and exploded for eight runs on just three hits in the fourth.
After walks to sophomore centerfielder Kerrigan Cain (Hartville, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) and senior first baseman Brett Ossola (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) loaded the bases, Swisher stepped to the plate and hit a two-run single up the middle.
Two batters later, sophomore leftfielder William Meador (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) added to the lead with a two-run double down the right field line. After two more reached base, senior second baseman Paul Pakan (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) put the icing on the cake with a three-run homer to center.
The Bishops could only manage a single run in the bottom of the inning, then picked up three runs in the seventh when Steele hit a three-run homer to left center.
Swisher was 2-for-4 for the game, and his three RBI were a career high.
On the mound, sophomore right-hander Kevin Johnstone (Placentia, Calif./Valencia) improved to 2-1 for the season with five innings of two-run ball. Johnstone scattered six hits and struck out four.
Peter Munger lasted only three innings and suffered for the loss for OWU.
Following tomorrow's games at Thiel, the Spartans are idle until a pair of doubleheaders next Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7. The April 7 DH opens the home portion of the season versus The College of Wooster at Nobby's Ballpark. Prior to first pitch at 1:00 p.m., the program will dedicate its new scoreboard made possible by the continued support of alumnus Nobby Lewandowski.