Otterbein Opens It Up For One, Tigers Keep It Close In Game Two Of Sweep
The Wittenberg Tigers continued to struggle on Thursday, this time against Otterbein College. The Red & White dropped both games in a doubleheader against the Cardinals, by scores of 19-1 and 4-3.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers continued to struggle on Thursday, this time against Otterbein College. The Red & White dropped both games in a doubleheader against the Cardinals, by scores of 19-1 and 4-3. The losses drop the Tigers to 11-14, while Otterbein moves to 16-10.
Game One was by all measures a blowout. The Tigers mustered just five hits against Otterbein's 18, and committed three errors in the field. Four Tiger pitchers took the mound during the game, the loss going to freshman Manny Rodriguez (Lawrenceville, Ga./Central Gwinnett), who gave up four runs, all earned, in four innings of starting work.
The Tigers' one run came in the sixth when senior designated hitter Jeremey Fruhwirth (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek) grounded into a double play, but allowed freshman left fielder Ray Noe (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome) to score.
The nightcap was much more tolerable for Tiger fans, as Wittenberg actually held a 3-2 lead through the fifth inning. In the top of the sixth, the Cardinals took the lead on a 2 RBI fielder's choice. The pitcher of record, freshman Jim Clement (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young), took the loss, while starting sophomore Bobby Ciucki (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) earned a no-decision, despite four great innings of work in which he allowed just two runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out one.
Tiger hitters fared much better in Game Two as well. Fruhwirth drove in two in a 2-for-3 outing from the plate. Noe walked once and hit 1-for-3, crossing the plate twice, sophomore Kory Winter (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) went 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI, and freshman catcher Jason Haunty (Westerville, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) went 1-for-3 and crossed the plate once.