PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The No. 5 nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University baseball team held off a late inning rally from Saint John's (Minn.) University to pick up a 7-6 victory in the Snowbird Classic at Centennial Park on Field #9.
BW (8-2) was led by sophomore utility Joey Marousek (North Royalton) who went 1-3 scoring two runs and driving in two RBIs. Sophomore Sean Kolenich (Parma/St. Edward) went 2-4 scoring a run and also drove in two RBIs.
Scoring Plays
- The Yellow Jackets got on the board first in the second with a two-run single past the second baseman from Marousek.
- After a stolen base from Marousek, Kolenich knocked him with an RBI infield single to give BW a 3-0 lead heading into the third.
- Saint John's (1-3) cut into the Yellow Jackets lead with an RBI groundout to the first base from Jordan Amundson.
- BW responded in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly to center from senior catcher JT Mazula (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills).
- The Johnnies got one back in the fifth as they scored on a double play.
- Junior infielder Nick Clark (Willowick/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) got the Yellow Jackets back on the board in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single through the hole between first and second.
- BW would extend their lead to 6-2 with a run scored on a double play.
- Kolenich picked up his second RBI of the game in the seventh inning with a single to center that scored Marousek and gave the Yellow Jackets a 7-2 lead.
- In the eighth, Saint John's battled back with four runs. The Johnnies picked up an RBi walk from Jack Schleper, two runs scored when Andrew Mahlke reached on an error and another run got in when Joe Becker reached on an error.
On the Mound
- Senior left-handed Nik Baldis (Wexford, Pa./North Hills) got the start going five and one-thirds innings allowing two runs on five hits and striking out four. He picked his second win of the season.
- Junior right-handed pitcher Dan Petrouskie (Seaford, N.Y./IMG Academy) came in relief going two innings allowing three runs, two earned on one hit and striking out two with two walks.
- Freshman left-handed pitcher Nolan Kellicker (Dover) went one thirds of an inning allowing one unearned run with two walks.
- Freshman right-handed pitcher Carson Collins (South Bend, Ind./Saint Joseph's) got the final four outs of the game recording a save in his first collegiate pitching. Collins struck out one while giving up no hits and not walking any batters.
BW returns to the field on Wednesday, March 8 when they take on Swarthmore (Pa.) College at 2:00 p.m. in the Snowbird Classic at Centennial Park on Field #10.