Tigers Slip After Six Close Innings With Otterbein
The Wittenberg baseball team played visiting Otterbein to a 1-1 tie through six innings, but let the lead slip in the last three frames to fall by a 6-2 final score Tuesday night, moving to 8-5 overall on the 2010 campaign.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg baseball team played visiting Otterbein to a 1-1 tie through six innings, but let the lead slip in the last three frames to fall by a 6-2 final score Tuesday night, moving to 8-5 overall on the 2010 campaign.
The Cardinals picked up one run in the seventh to break the tie, then added three in the eighth and one more in the ninth, while Wittenberg put one on the board in the ninth before being retired for the night.
Tiger senior Bobby Ciucki (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) started the game and completed two scoreless, hitless innings with one walk and one strikeout before giving way to a series of seven relief pitchers, who all went one inning. Sophomore Andy Sharek (Sewickley, Pa./Sewickley Academy) allowed the tie-breaking run in the seventh and took the loss on two hits.
Junior Jim Clement (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) relieved Ciucki and allowed one unearned run on one hit, and freshman Ethan Sharpin (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) allowed one hit in a scoreless fourth. Sophomore Ted Skalla (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier) kept the Cardinals hitless in the fifth and Zack Finke (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) repeated in the sixth before Sharek took over. Freshman Kevin Tolle (Englewood, Ohio/Northmont) allowed three runs in the eighth and senior closer Darrin Mumaw (Fort Loramie, Ohio/Fort Loramie)finished up with one run on one hit in the ninth.
The Tigers registered six hits in the game against Otterbein's eight. Freshman center fielder Nick Van Dyne (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) was 1-for-4 with a stolen base in the leadoff spot, followed in the lineup by designated hitter Mike Yednock (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington), who went 2-for-4 and improved to .409 on the season. Junior first baseman Zach Spring (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty)went 1-for-4, matched by freshman shortstop Grant Goodwin (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson), who earned the Tigers' only RBI of the night. Freshman second baseman Zac Daniels (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) was 1-for-3 with a triple.
The Tigers play one more midweek contest at 6 p.m. at Capital on Thursday, March 25, before heading to Crawfordsville, Ind., for a weekend series with North Coast Athletic Conference West Division foe Wabash.