UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The College of Wooster baseball team completed a season sweep of John Carroll University, winning 10-7 on Sunday afternoon at Schweickert Field.
Junior right-hander Thomas Gfell navigated Wooster (15-20) through a seventh-inning jam, then slammed the door shut on John Carroll (12-21) the rest of the way. Gfell was inserted with Wooster protecting a 9-7 lead with the tying run at the plate. The righty jammed a pair of Blue Streaks with pop ups on the infield to quiet the John Carroll threat. He went on to send John Carroll's batters back to the dugout in order in the eighth and ninth innings for his second collegiate save.
Wooster made John Carroll starter Sylvan Wiley pay the price for back-to-back walks that started inning three. Sophomore designated hitter Ryan Kramer put the Fighting Scots on the board, driving in sophomore catcher Nathaniel Huxtable and senior shortstop Eli Westrick with a go-ahead double to right center. Kramer scored to make it 3-1 when first-year first baseman Zack Barienbrock dropped a single into center field. Wooster was not done just yet in the third inning, eventually growing the lead to 5-1 when junior center fielder Leo Widtmann drove in fellow outfielders Dan Hanson and John Panstares with a hit.
Panstares wore a pitch in the sixth inning with the bases loaded to force in the winning run. Junior second baseman Andy Heintz followed with a sacrifice fly to center that made it 7-5, then a Blue Streak error enabled Hanson to score from third.
Kramer continued to close in on having the 17th 60-RBI season in program history with three to up his team-leading total to 53. The designated hitter finished 3-for-4 with three runs. Widtmann matched Kramer for the team-high in hits at three, while Westrick continuously set the table from the leadoff spot, reaching safely four times on two hits and two walks.
Michael Persichetti was 3-for-5 with two runs scored to lead John Carroll.
Sophomore Jack Spring improved to 2-2 on the season. The winning pitcher allowed five runs (three earned) in five innings of work. Brandon Ferdinando was charged with the loss for the Blue Streaks. He allowed three runs on two hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Next, Wooster plays at Heidelberg University (21-14) at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30.