WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson baseball team withheld a comeback attempt from Mount Union tonight in nonconference action to pick up an 8-7 victory over the Raiders at Ross Memorial Park.
After earning today's win, the Presidents improve to 27-10 overall. Mount Union, on the other hand, falls to 20-14 on the season.
James Artale (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) opened the contest's scoring in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI double to left center. Joey Bolick (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) put the Red & Black up 2-0 with a sac fly to right field.
The Presidents lead grew to 4-0 with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth frame. Both runs came off the bat of Mullen Socha (Independence, Ohio/St. Ignatius), who smacked a two-RBI single up the middle.
W&J added three more runs in the fifth to take a commanding 7-0 advantage. The first score came off a throwing error by the opposing pitcher on a Bolick bunt single. Two batters later, Jackson Russell (Burke, Va./Robinson) plated Bolick with a single of his own. Josh Crummer (Great Falls, Va./Flint Hill School) capped the inning with an RBI single to plate Spencer Howell (Oakwood, Ohio/Oakwood).
Howell then gave the Presidents a crucial 8-1 advantage with a home run to left center in the bottom of the sixth. The homer is his fourth of the season, which is tied for second most on the team.
Mount Union made the game interesting in the eighth and ninth innings, scoring six unanswered runs to cut the Red & Black's lead to 8-7. Freshman Henry Litman (Marietta, Ga./Walton) came in with the bases loaded in the ninth and got the final two outs to pick up his first career save.
Howell paced W&J tonight with three hits, one being the aforementioned home run, and three runs scored. Socha and Crummer both finished with two hits, with Socha posing two RBI and Crummer logging one run and one RBI. Crummer's batting average has risen to a team-best .396.
Senior Tanner Gaerke (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) got the start and threw 7.0 innings and allowed just one run on three hits with four strikeouts. Gaerke did not allow his first hit until the sixth inning on his way to his third win of the season. He is now second on the team this year with a 2.81 ERA.
The Presidents will have off until Saturday, May 4, when they take on Saint Vincent in a road doubleheader. The first game of the twin bill is slated to begin at 1 p.m.