Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 13) – The Waynesburg University baseball team ended their run at the Russ Matt Baseball Invitational by splitting a pair of contests with Baldwin-Wallace College.
The Yellow Jacket scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh and final inning to pull out an 8-7 victory in game one. However, the Jackets couldn't pull off a second comeback as they dropped a 3-2 contest in game two.
Trailing 7-6 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Yellow Jackets got a big hit right away as sophomore Anthony Defilippo drilled a leadoff triple. The next batter, sophomore Bill Hanning slapped a game-tying single to plate Defilippo.
After a Waynesburg fly out, freshman outfielder Chris Dittmar ripped a run-scoring double to bring Hanning home and clinch the win.
Along with a big seventh inning, the Jackets got a strong pitching effort from sophomore Steve Hubsch , who came in from the bullpen and worked 3.1 innings in which he gave up just one unearned run on two hits and no walks. He replaced Patrick Logan, who worked the first 3.2 innings.
Defilippo had two of Waynesburg's 11 hits on a double and a triple with two RBI and a run scored. Dittmar also put up two hits (two-for-four) and two RBI. Freshman catcher Brendan Scioscia also had two RBI on a two-run double in the second inning.
In game two, B-W had a 1-0 lead after four innings. The Yellow Jackets were able to tie the game in the top of the fifth thanks to a sacrifice fly RBI by freshman Corey Goeggelman that scored senior infielder Brandon Dittmar.
Baldwin-Wallace retook the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Jackets refused to go away. In the top of the seventh, Waynesburg went to work in pulling off another comeback.
Sophomore second baseman Wes White Jr led off with a single and stole second base. Goeggelman grounded out to shortstop, moving White to third. Defilippo grounded out to second in the next at-bat to allow White to trot home and cut the deficit to 3-2.
With two outs on the board, Hanning stepped to the plate and was hit by a pitch to put the tying run on first base. However, the Jackets got a little over-aggressive as the sophomore was caught trying to steal second, ending the contest.
Though he was saddled with the loss, sophomore pitcher Tim Knight put together a solid effort on the mound. He gave up just one earned run on six hits and two walks.
White led the Jackets at the plate by going three-of-four with three stolen bases.
After spending the last week in Florida, the Jackets will return home and prepare for their home opener on Monday when they host Penn State-Beaver in a double-header. The first pitch of game one is scheduled to be thrown at 1 p.m.
