BETHANY, W.Va. (April 18) – The Waynesburg University baseball team bounced back from Friday's disappointing one-run home loss to Bethany by sweeping Saturday's seven-inning doubleheader in West Virginia. The Yellow Jackets wound up on the right end of a 4-2 pitchers' duel in game one, before out-slugging the Bison 9-8 in the late contest.
 
Junior Brian Resnik was the star of game one for Waynesburg. The righty put together his third complete game of 2015 by giving up two runs, neither of which was earned, on just four hits and two walks. Resnik also piled up 12 strikeouts in his sixth win of the season (6-1).
 
Senior right fielder Eric Crum started the scoring with a bang by teeing off on his first collegiate homerun, a solo shot in the top of the third inning, to put Waynesburg (15-13-1, 13-4) ahead 1-0. The Yellow Jackets produced the eventual game-winning runs in the top of the fifth and were helped out by a critical Bethany (6-21, 2-15) error during the at-bat of senior leftfielder Ben Shorthouse. That miscue allowed sophomore third baseman Cameron Bernhardt to double his team's lead to 2-0.
 
Sophomore shortstop Nathan Mori came up with the eventual game-winning hit later in the frame. With the bases loaded and one out on the board, Mori connected on a two-run double that scored Crum and senior second baseman Neal Yakopin. That hit increased the Jacket advantage to 4-0.
 
The Bison took advantage of one base hit, two passed balls and one error in the bottom of the fifth to score both of their runs in the opener. Resnik not only ended the rally in the fifth, but sealed the victory by giving up just a walk and striking out three over the sixth and seventh innings.
 
Like it did in game one, Waynesburg came out firing on offense. The Jackets built an early 6-0 lead after three innings of play. Waynesburg posted a run in the first when Mori scored on a throwing error. The Orange and Black doubled its advantage to 2-0 in the second when Yakopin singled home Shorthouse.
 
The visiting team broke things open with a four-spot in the third that featured three different Waynesburg batters recording at least one RBI each. Yakopin, Crum and sophomore first baseman Jonathon Kletzli each posted a run-scoring single. The big blow of the frame came courtesy of Shorthouse, who unleashed a two-run base knock.
 
Bethany broke up the shutout with a two-spot in the third to trim its deficit down to 6-2. A single by Kletzli in the fourth rebuilt a five-goal Waynesburg advantage in the fourth. The Bison battled back into the late game with a five-run bottom of the fourth that tied the score at 7-7.
 
After neither team scored in the fifth, the lead went back to the Jacket side thanks to a pair of tallies in the sixth. Once again, miscues by the Bison helped the Orange and Black's offensive production. What should have been a big out for Bethany, turned into a Waynesburg run when Bernhardt struck out. The ball got past the Bison catcher and not only allowed Crum to reach first base, but junior centerfielder Matt Bensinger sprinted home to score the go-ahead run. Run number two in the frame, which came on a Shorthouse double, wound up being the eventual game-winning tally.
 
Bethany led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homerun. The Bison added a pair of singles, but Waynesburg was able to keep the tying run from crossing home plate and preserve the victory.
 
Sophomore Jacob Meyer won his third decision of 2015 after coming in out of the bullpen in the fourth inning in relief of starter Luke Carter. Meyer allowed two runs, both earned, on six hits and no walks to improve his season record to 3-0.
 
Balance was the name of the game for the Waynesburg offense, which featured eight players notching at least two hits each in a 21-hit performance by the Jackets in the sweep. Shorthouse recorded a team-high three RBI on the day and was one of five Waynesburg players to score twice.
 
Following the road sweep, Waynesburg is one game out of first place in the PAC standings with exactly two weeks left in the regular season. The Jackets return home to host Westminster on Wednesday, April 22, for a nine-inning conference matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.