WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (Feb. 27) – The Waynesburg University baseball team picked up its first win of the young 2017 season on Monday at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The Yellow Jackets split a seven-inning doubleheader with the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
 
The Yellow Jackets (1-4) dropped the opener by a final score of 8-3. Waynesburg rebounded with a 5-1 victory that featured a stellar performance from one of the team's newest pitchers.
 
The Jackets got off to a fast start in game one. After putting runners on first and second with one out on the board, Waynesburg grabbed a 2-0 lead on a fielder's choice RBI by senior first baseman Jonathon Kletzli and an error.
 
The Raiders (1-2) tied things up with a two-spot in the top of the second and took a 3-2 lead in the third. Waynesburg knotted the score back up in the bottom of the frame thanks to another Kletzli RBI. His one-out single plated senior centerfielder Josh Hausler.
 
MSOE tallied the game-deciding run with two outs in the top of the fifth. The Jackets kept the deficit at just one run until the top of the seventh, when the Engineers tallied the game's final four runs, two of which were on wild pitches.
 
Kletzli and sophomore second baseman Tyler Reis each collected a pair of base hits in the early contest. Kletzli tied for the game lead with two RBI, while Hausler doubled and scored a pair of runs.
 
Freshman Mason Miller started on the mound for Waynesburg and took the loss after logging 5.1 innings of work. He allowed four runs, just one of which was earned, on seven hits and two walks. He also racked up seven strikeouts.
 
Freshman Jonny Kutchman proved to be the star of game two. The first-year hurler gave up a single run on just four hits and a walk over five innings. Kutchman struck out three en route to his first collegiate victory.
 
Senior Jacob Meyer closed out the victory with a two-inning save. The veteran righty allowed just a double and a walk.
 
Kletzli added to a strong day at the plate by doubling in Reis in the top of the first inning. The Raiders tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with their only run. Two innings later, the Jackets tallied the game-winning runs to clinch the win.
 
Senior shortstop Nate Mori put his team up 2-1 by slapping a single into left field that allowed Reis to sprint home. During the next at-bat, freshman third baseman Justin Buberl made the score 3-1 by racing home on a wild pitch.
 
The Jackets sealed up the win in the top of the seventh with the day's final two tallies. Another Jacket freshman, right fielder Addis Crouch, scored on another MSOE wild pitch. Freshman catcher John Przbylinski connected on a run-scoring base knock that allowed freshman designated hitter Brandon Floyd to bring about the final score of 5-1.
 
Kletzli went two-for-two with a double, a walk and an RBI. Floyd scored twice in the victory.
 
Waynesburg continues its stay in Florida tomorrow with a nine-inning game against Neumann. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.