Springfield, Ohio – The Wittenberg University baseball team hosted the Crusaders of Capital University in a rescheduled doubleheader from Carleton-Davidson Stadium on Monday evening. The two games were cut down to two seven-inning games, as the Tigers are coming off the third straight day of competition. The Tiger offense came out swinging, collecting four hits in the first game of the first inning of the doubleheader, falling at the end of seven innings 5-3. Wittenberg would not be down for long, as the Tigers held off the Crusaders, earning the walk-off win in game two 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh.
GAME ONE
OFFENSIVE NOTES
The Tigers jumped out to an early lead, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Matt Baker started the game off with a walk before Gabe Stacy ripped a double down the left field line to plate the first Wittenberg run. Tim Bates brought home the second Wittenberg run with a double to center field, scoring Stacy from second. Jack Hollinshead brought home the final Wittenberg run in the top of the first with a single to left, bringing home Bates.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
Jordan Jolly took the hill to start the first game, facing 27 Capital hitters finishing with one strikeout and two walks with six hits allowed. Andrew Goodpaster made his way to the hill to face the final five Capital batters in the first game, as Goodpaster fanned one with one hit allowed.
GAME TWO
OFFENSIVE NOTES
Baker led things off in the top of the third inning with a sharply hit double to left field. After a Stacy groundout advanced the runner to third. Bates cranked his second double of the day to bring in Baker. The Tigers tallied their third hit of the inning off of the Patrick Kenny double to center field to bring home Bates. Starting the two-out rally Gage Carpenter started the Tiger offense up by drawing the walk and quickly swiping second base. Baker took quick advantage with a runner in scoring position, lacing an RBI single past the Capital defense to bring in Carpenter. After forcing the Capital pitching change, Stacy reached on a single to right off the new hurler bringing home Baker to give Wittenberg the 4-0 advantage. Holding off the Capital attack through the final two innings. The Crusaders posted two runs in the fifth before bringing the game back to square at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh. Bates would pick up his second hit of game two with a single up the middle for the first Tiger baserunner of the final inning. A Kenny single through the right side would advance Bates to third where he would be replaced on the base path by Jeremy McAleese. Hollinshead would put the game away for the Tigers with the walk-off single to left, scoring McAleese for the winning run.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
Michael Martin got the start in the second game against Capital with 19 batters faced and four-plus innings of work, striking out three and allowing four hits. Brandon Beegle picked up his first win of the season with two-plus innings of work, with one hit allowed and striking out two.
UP NEXT: Wittenberg will be back in action on Saturday, March 24 from Carleton-Davidson Stadium playing host to Bluffton in a doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM.