WESTFIELD, IN - The Wittenberg baseball team travelled to Westfield, Indiana, to play nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace for their season opener at the Grand Park Sports Complex. Wittenberg came out strong, taking a big early lead, and the Tigers never looked back as they picked up a 6-1 victory over 13th-ranked Baldwin Wallace in the first game for Mitchell Griffiths as the Tigers' head coach.
Senior Nate Floyd (Akron, OH/Copley) started on the mound for the Tigers. He collected 8 strikeouts and walked no one while allowing just three hits over five stellar innings. Junior Andrew Rust (Dublin, OH/Dublin Coffman), sophomore Tommy Anthony (Toronto, Ontario/ Humberside Collegiate Institute), and senior Charlie Schafer (Beavercreek, OH/Beavercreek) all came on in relief over the next four innings and combined to allow just one run.
It didn't take long for the Tiger bats to come alive, and runs came throughout the game. In the top of the fourth, junior Tommy Chilicki (Lewis Center, OH/Olentangy) hit a line drive single to left field that scored one. Sophomore Thatcher Dietz (Westerville, OH/Westerville South) and junior James MacAuley (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI/Grosse Pointe North) added on with RBI singles of their own in the top of the frame to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. In the top of the seventh, Chilicki added on with an RBI single to right field for a 4-0 Tiger lead. In the top of the ninth, Chilicki tacked on his third RBI of the day with a perfectly placed bunt down the third base line. Graduate student Parker Gryskevich (Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg) joined in with a RBI sacrifice fly to right field to score the Tigers' sixth and final run of the day.
Throughout the game, the Tigers picked up five steals, 10 hits, including one double, and defensively were able to turn three clutch double plays to keep the Yellow Jackets off the board until the bottom of the ninth, when they got their only run of the game.
"What a way to start the season," Griffiths said. "Fantastic job by our players today showing up ready to go against a really good program in Baldwin Wallace. Nate Floyd gave us everything we could have asked for in a start, and the bullpen crew that came in all did their jobs getting the last 12 outs.
"Defensively, we were phenomenal. Offensively, we were able to apply pressure and cash in when we needed to against a very good pitching staff. Tommy Chilicki was impressive with his at-bats, among others. What a great job by these players and the assistant coaches today to set the tone for the season."
The Tigers improved to 1-0 in the early season, while the Yellow Jackets moved to 0-1. The Tigers' next game will be against Bethany (W.V) for a doubleheader on Wednesday, February 26. First pitch for Game 1 is set for 1:00 p.m. in Xenia, Ohio, at Athletes in Action.