Box Score

GREENVILLE, Pa. (April 9) – The Waynesburg University baseball team traveled to Thiel College for a nine-inning Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) matchup. After taking both games of a seven-inning doubleheader earlier in the season, the Yellow Jackets came up short in their season sweep attempt after falling 5-2 to the Tomcats.
 
The Jackets (10-14, 6-3) were ultimately done in by five errors that led to three unearned runs. Waynesburg had committed just one error in its previous seven contests. Ironically, Thiel (8-14, 2-9) committed seven combined errors while getting swept by the Jackets back on Tuesday, April 1.
 
The home team built a 3-0 lead over the first five innings of the contest by putting up two runs in the bottom of the first and one more in the fifth. The Yellow Jackets got back into the game during their half of the eighth inning with a two-spot that trimmed their deficit down to just one run.
 
Sophomore first baseman Matt Bensinger led off with a single and moved to second on a base knock from freshman shortstop Nathan Mori. A third-straight hit, this one coming from freshman third baseman Luke Carter, loaded the bases for the visitors. After Thiel picked up the first out of the inning, senior second baseman Andrew Rose connected on Waynesburg's fourth base knock of the inning, an RBI single, which scored Bensinger. Junior right fielder Eric Crum lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Mori to sprint home and make the score 3-2. Unfortunately, Thiel closed out the inning during the next at-bat and ultimately sealed the victory.
 
The Tomcats added two big insurance runs off a homerun in the bottom of the eighth to bring about the final score of 5-2. Bensinger reached base after being hit by a pitch with two outs in the ninth, but the Waynesburg comeback ended during the next at-bat.
 
The Orange and Black suffered the loss despite out-hitting the opposition nine to seven, being hit by three pitches and drawing five walks. Carter, junior left fielder Ben Shorthouse and senior centerfielder Clay Roman notched two hits each to pace the offense.
 
Senior Zach Kreke started and suffered the loss on the mound after allowing three runs, two of which were earned, on six hits and two walks. Freshman Colton Lippencott worked the final three innings and gave up just two unearned runs on one hit and no walks.
 
Waynesburg, which currently sits in fourth place of the PAC standings, which would give them a spot in the four-team conference tournament, returns to action with three games over two days at Thomas More. The Saints are currently tied for second place in the league and are a game ahead of the Jackets with a 7-2 conference record. First pitch of a nine-inning game on Friday, April 11, is scheduled for 3 p.m.