The 25th-ranked College of Wooster baseball team overcame a six-run deficit, and then hung six runs on visiting Hiram College in the fourth inning of game two to finish a weekend sweep of the Terriers. Wooster took game one 13-11 and finished off Hiram by a 9-2 count on Sunday afternoon at Art Murray Field, with that victory upping the Scots' winning streak to nine games.
Wooster (17-5) trailed 11-5 in Sunday's opener after Hiram scored seven times in the top of the fourth inning, with six of those runs going in the books as unearned. After failing to answer back during its ups in the fourth, Wooster began to chip away in the fifth. Junior right fielder Ben Hines laced a one-out single through the left side of the infield and scored on junior Ben Gbur's blooper. Thanks to the hustle of Wooster's center fielder, the Scots had another runner in scoring position, as Gbur thought two all the way, and was rewarded with a double. Two batters later, senior designated hitter Noah Clement pulled Wooster within 11-6 with a single, and he scored on junior left fielder Dominic Stilliana's three-bagger. Senior second baseman Gabe Sherman's rope to center capped the four-spot.
Another four-spot followed in the sixth, with Stilliana's go-ahead, two-run, opposite-field homer going down as the difference. Hines' hustle was key to that inning, as Gbur reached via a fielder's choice, with Hiram shortstop Michael Corsillo trying to throw out Hines at third, only to have the Scots' speedster beat the tag. Junior Tyler Chumita scored on that fielder's choice, as did Hines on sophomore first baseman Dane Camphausen's fielder's choice, with that one tying the game at 11.
Earlier in the opener, Wooster jumped out to a 5-0 lead with a five-run second. Junior catcher Alex Gasper plated the first two runs with an opposite-field single. Next, Stilliana scored on a wild pitch before Chumita ripped an RBI double to center and Hines laced a run-scoring seeing-eye single.
Stilliana powered the offense with a 2-for-3 line with three RBI and three runs scored. Hines' three hits marked the game-high, while four Scots in all had multi-hit openers.
First-year Eli Westrick picked up his first collegiate win with 2 1/3 innings of relief in support of senior starter Evan Faxon. Westrick allowed an unearned run on two hits. Fellow rookie Corey Knauf worked a one-two-three seventh for his first collegiate save.
Evan Fairbanks paced Hiram by going 2-for-3 at the dish with three RBI. Jacob Kocuba (2-6) took the loss. He allowed two runs on Stilliana's dinger, while also allowing both inherited runners to score.
Sunday's nightcap was scoreless until Wooster's fourth-inning eruption. Sherman opened the scoring with a two-run double to left, and later, Chumita caught the Terriers flat-footed with a two-out bunt single that loaded the bases. Hines didn't waste much time with the bases juiced, as his triple cleared them, and he scored on Gbur's double.
Another bases-clearer – this time from Camphausen's bat – added three insurance runs in the sixth. Prior to Camphausen's three-run double, Hines beat out a throw on a sacrifice bunt-turned-single, which loaded the bases.
Senior Jay DiBacco picked up his co-North Coast Athletic Conference-leading fifth win of the year. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. After Sullivan worked a third of an inning, Knauf trotted out of the pen, and Hiram didn't fare much better against the rookie righty, who worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings in the nightcap.
Hines finished the day with six hits after a 3-for-4 game two, which saw the right fielder knock in three runs and score twice. Camphausen backed that up with a 2-for-4 effort with three RBI.
John Lusknek (0-4) was tagged for six runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. Corsillo went 3-for-3 with a RBI and run scored to lead Hiram's lineup.
Next, Wooster's (8-2 NCAC East Division) slated to wrap up league play at Kenyon College (3-5, 3-5 NCAC East Division) on Wednesday, April 28. First pitch for the twin bill is set for 1 p.m.