Westfield, IN – The Wittenberg University baseball team wrapped up opening weekend, taking on Manchester University and Benedictine University from Grand Park on Sunday. The Tigers dropped the first game of the day, falling to Manchester 11-4. Wittenberg rallied back in the final game of the weekend, with an exciting 5-4 walk-off win over Benedictine. The Tigers tallied 20 hits between the two games on the day, with eight hits coming against Manchester, the Red and White kept the bats hot adding 12 hits to close out the day against Benedictine.
Game One Breakdown
Wittenberg got on the board early, plating their first run in the bottom of the first, coming off a Jack Hollinshead sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Patrick Kenny. The Tigers added to their lead in the bottom half of the third, starting with a Kenny RBI single to right-center, bringing around Chase Whisner for the first Wittenberg run of the inning. Hollinshead tallied his second RBI of the game, sending another sacrifice fly out to center and bringing home Gabe Stacy. Manchester plated their first run in the fourth inning, chipping away at the Wittenberg advantage. With two more Manchester runs crossing in fifth and the eighth, the Spartans posted a six-run ninth inning, pushing their lead out to 11-3 over the Tigers. Wittenberg put up one last offensive effort, adding one run in the ninth, coming off of the Dylan Jackson single up the middle to bring home Connor Goss. Russell Hayhurst toed the mound to start the day for the Tigers, tossing four and a third innings, allowing three hits and striking out two. Nick Cunningham came in for three innings of work, fanning three with two runs allowed. Adam Mays and Jacob Boyd worked together to close out the final inning for the Red and White, as Boyd recorded his first collegiate strikeout.
Game Two Breakdown
Wittenberg went run-for-run with Benedictine in game two of the day. The scoring got started in the third inning, as the Eagles plated the first run of the game. The Tigers responded in the bottom half of the third, jumping back ahead with two runs of their own. A Matt Moore double to right-center, brought around the first Tiger runs, scoring Jackson and Hollinshead. Benedictine would knot things back up at 2-2 in the top of the sixth. The Tigers had an answer of their own as Whisner brought home, Jake Hutchins, on the sacrifice fly to left, putting Wittenberg back on top 3-2. Back-to-back one-run innings by Benedictine put the Eagles ahead 4-3, heading into the last at-bat for the Tigers. Wittenberg got the rally started with a single through the right side by Moore to bring home Stacy and tie things up at 4-4. With bases loaded, Whisner drew the walk-off walk to put the Tigers ahead 5-4, securing the first Wittenberg win of the season. Joe Horoszko tossed seven and third innings, striking out seven for the Tigers in his collegiate debut. Nick Cunningham would come in to close out the day, earning his first win as a Tiger, striking out three over the final one and two-thirds innings.
UP NEXT
Wittenberg will head to the sunshine state for their Spring Break slate of Games, beginning on Sunday, March 8. The Tigers open the break with a two-game series against Haverford. The Red and White will also look to take on, Skidmore College, the US Merchant Marine Academy and closing out the break with a two-game slate against Rockford.