Zak Orlemann '16
(WINTER HAVEN, Fla.) - The Thomas More College baseball team lost a nail-biter by the score of 4-3 to nationally ranked No. 11 Wheaton (Mass.) College Wednesday morning in Winter Haven, Florida. The Saints fall to 2-3 on the season.
Thomas More jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when senior Cody Makin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) scored junior Craig Hyson (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) on a sacrifice fly to center. The score would remain 1-0 until the seventh inning, thanks to a lights out pitching performance by sophomore pitcher Brandon Humphrey (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle). Humphrey lasted 6.2 innings, striking out four and allowing 3 earned runs.
The Saints did not lose faith and made a strong ninth inning push for the win, falling just shy. Entering the ninth, the saints were down 4-1, when a leadoff walk by Travis Miller, followed by a fielder's choice from Cody Makin, advanced Miller to scoring position sparked a late inning rally. Sophomore Zach Fardo (Alexandria, Ky./Bishop Brossart) capitalized on Wheaton's error, reaching first on a passed ball third strike. An error by the pitcher, off the bat of freshman Tommy Arnzen (Edgewood, Ky./Covington Catholic) scored Miller, bringing the Saints within two. Ben Kenning (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) stepped up to the plate following the error, flying out to left in his only at bat of the day. Sophomore Donovan Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) knocked in a run on a line drive to center in a pinch hit appearance to bring the Saints to within one run. Unfortunately the rally ended on a strikeout swinging by freshman Casey Metzger (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) leaving runner at first and second.
After the departure of Humphrey, freshman Ken Ruberg (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) stepped in to pitch a clean 2.1 innings of relief, allowing no hits, with one strikeout and one walk.
The Saints will return to action on Thursday, March 12, at 2:30 p.m. against Suffolk (Mass.) University at Chain of Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven, Florida.