Winter Haven, Fla. (March 5) – The Waynesburg University baseball team opened the 2016 season at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets squared off with Gordon College and split a doubleheader with the Scots.
 
Despite a hot start from senior pitcher Brian Resnik, Waynesburg fell 8-2 in the opener, before the Jacket bats exploded in a 16-7 win in the late contest.
 
Resnik (0-1) was untouchable through the first four inning of work. The 2015 co-PAC Pitcher of the Year and his defense retired the first 12 batters they faced with eight strikeouts. With Resnik baffling the Gordon hitters, Waynesburg scored its first run of the season in the second inning when senior catcher Tyler Rubasky recorded his first RBI of the year on a groundout. Junior right fielder Luke Carter scored the tally after leading off the frame with a single.
 
Gordon tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the fifth, before the Jackets regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. The Orange and Black loaded the bases on a walk to senior second baseman Justin Smith, a single by junior centerfielder Josh Hausler and a fielder's choice by junior shortstop Nathan Mori. The go-ahead score came across when senior leftfielder Matt Bensinger was hit by a pitch. Unfortunately, Waynesburg was unable to do any further damage in the frame.
 
The Scots finally got to Resnik with four runs in the sixth to go ahead 5-2. Gordon tacked on three more scores in the seventh close out the victory.
 
Though he suffered the loss, Resnik still put up some impressive numbers in defeat. He gave up six earned runs on 11 hits over the complete game. However, he struck out 14 batters without issuing a walk.
 
Game two was an almost complete opposite of the opener, with Waynesburg falling behind early, only to rally in a big way for a win. After falling behind 3-1 in the first inning, the Jackets pulled to within a run of Gordon in the top of the fourth thanks to freshman third baseman Eli Kucherawy singling in sophomore right fielder Tyler Godwin.
 
The floodgates opened for the Jackets in inning number five, when 15 Waynesburg batters came to the plate in a 12-run outburst. The Orange and Black piled up seven hits, four walks and a hit batsman in the frame to take a commanding 14-3 advantage. Junior catcher Ben Miller and junior first baseman Jonathan Kletzli both landed big blows in the offensive assault. Miller went yard on a three-run homer, before Kletzli did him one better with a grand slam.
 
The Yellow Jackets concluded their scoring in the sixth when Hausler drilled a two-run triple to make the score 16-3. Gordon pieced together four runs in the seventh, but it was too little, too late for the Scots.
 
Carter moved from third base to the pitcher's mound to notch the victory in the late contest. He gave up all seven earned runs on six hits and no walks, while striking out six.
 
Junior David Cross recorded the final three outs of the victory from the mound.
 
Hausler did a great job of setting the table for the Waynesburg batting order by going four-for-seven with three runs scored and two RBI. He also stole two bases over the split.
 
Five Jacket hitters recorded two hits each on the day, including Kletzli, who notched a team-high four RBI. Smith matched Hausler with three runs scored.
 
Waynesburg is expected to return to the diamond tomorrow with a single nine-inning game against Cornell (Iowa). First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.