Box Score

WAYNESBURG, Pa. (May 3) – The Waynesburg University baseball team played its final home game of the 2013 season under sunny, warm conditions against Grove City College on Friday. The Yellow Jackets honored their seven seniors with a 9-3 victory over the Wolverines, after honoring the veterans before first pitch.
 
After two scoreless innings, GCC (5-21, 4-16) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. The Jackets (19-17, 10-12) didn't let the opposition enjoy its lead for long after plating three runs in the bottom of the frame. Senior shortstop Kyle Sasala tied the game up 1-1 with an RBI single that scored another senior, second baseman David Houseman. Three batters later, sophomore designated hitter Ben Shorthouse came up with a clutch two-out, two-run double that allowed senior leftfielder Nick Berdine and Sasala to come around and score the go-ahead runs.
 
The Wolverines tied the game back up in the top of the fifth with a two-run double that made the score 3-3. Once again, however, Waynesburg needed very little time to answer GCC's challenge and fired back with a pair of scores in the bottom of the inning. After Sasala led off with a single and moved to second on a groundout, Berdine doubled in his team's fourth run of the day. Two batters later, Shorthouse made the score 5-3 Jackets with a run-scoring single.
 
The home team concluded the scoring on the day with a four-run bottom of the sixth. With senior right fielder Adam Horning standing on third base and one out on the board, Houseman put down a well-executed squeeze bunt that brought Horning into score and expand Waynesburg's lead to 6-3. Three batters later, yet another senior, first baseman Bobby Hartman, worked a bases-loaded walk to bring yet another run home. Shorthouse wrapped up a very productive day by smacking another two-run base knock, this one a single, to bring about the final score of 9-3.
 
While the Jacket bats were doing their thing at the plate, senior pitcher Anthony Longo made his final start in front of his home crowd a strong one. The righty improved to 4-4 on the season after tossing eight innings, during which he gave up three runs, two of which were earned, on eight hits and five walks. He also struck out six Wolverines in the victory. Sophomore Thomas Ellis gave up just a hit in the ninth to seal up the victory.
 
Shorthouse had maybe his best game as a collegiate player by going four-for-four with a double and five RBI, which tied a single-game season high by one Yellow Jacket this year. Sasala also had a big day at the dish. The veteran went two-for-three with two walks, three runs scored and an RBI.
 
Waynesburg wraps up the 2013 regular season tomorrow, when the Jackets travel to Grove City for a seven-inning doubleheader with the Wolverines. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.