WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (Feb. 26) – The Waynesburg University baseball team faced off with Franklin College during its second day of competition at the Russ Matt Central Florida Invitational on Sunday. After building up a 4-1 lead, the Yellow Jackets suffered a heartbreaking 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Grizzlies.
 
Franklin (1-1) posted the game's first run in the bottom of the second. Waynesburg (0-3) senior starting pitcher Derek Whalen kept the opposition off the board for the next five innings while his offense found its stride.
 
Senior shortstop Nate Mori tied the game in the top of the fourth frame with an RBI single that plated sophomore right fielder Eli Kucherawy. The next batter, senior centerfielder Josh Hausler, connected on a run-scoring single of his own that allowed senior designated hitter Justin Davey to race home with the go-ahead run.
 
Two innings later, the Jackets extended its 2-1 lead with a pair of scores in the top of the
sixth. Waynesburg pieced together the two runs on a walk, two singles and two fielder's choice plays.
 
After loading the bases with one out on the board, junior left fielder Tyler Godwin grounded into a fielder's choice that resulted in no outs being recorded and senior Ben Miller coming home to give the Jackets a 3-1 lead. The Orange and Black's final score of the day came in the next at-bat when sophomore second baseman Tyler Reis grounded into a fielder's choice play at third base that plated Mori.
 
Leading 4-1, Waynesburg gave up three runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 4-4. Franklin pulled out the win on a walk-off, two-out single in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Hausler and Mori collected two base knocks each to pace the Jackets' six-hit effort. Mori also drove in a run and scored another. Senior first baseman Jonathon Kletzli doubled in the setback.
 
Senior Scott Hefty suffered the pitching loss after giving up the game-deciding run during 1.1 innings of relief. He allowed three hits and walked a batter, while also collecting a strikeout.
 
Hefty relieved Whalen, who yielded four runs on eight hits and no walks over seven-plus innings of work. The veteran righty notched three strikeouts on the day.
 
The Yellow Jackets return to the diamond on Monday when they face the Milwaukee School of Engineering for a seven-inning doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.