GRANVILLE, Ohio (May 6) – The Waynesburg University baseball team went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs during its final doubleheader of the 2023 season. After getting no-hit in the first game at Denison, the Jackets bounced back with a convincing victory over the Big Red.
 
Denison (29-8), which came into the day ranked 11th in teh country, rolled to a 14-0 victory in game one. The Jackets drew three walks and freshman Dalton Lucey (Holbrook, Pa. / West Greene) started and suffered the loss after five innings of work on the mound.
 
The Yellow Jackets (14-24) dusted themselves off and put the opener behind them. Led by freshman Ethan Erhard (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield), who tossed his second complete game of the year, Waynesburg defeated the returning national qualifiers 9-4.
 
Following a scoreless first inning, Waynesburg struck first with a two spot in the top of the second. Sophomore Alec Engelmore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler) crossed home plate on an error, before junior Nolan Vertullo (Bridgeville, Pa. / South Fayette) singled home classmate Mike Bell (Herminie, Pa. / Yough).
 
The opportunistic Jackets again took advantage of Denison mishaps during a four-run fourth. An error during a bunt try by junior Todder Burner (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg South) allowed sophomore Dalton Mount (Sykesville, Md. / Westminster) to score from third. A wild pitch allowed Burner to sprint across home plate, before freshman Gavin Pratt (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels) slapped an RBI single that plated Burner to make the score 5-0. The Jackets loaded the bases for junior Lane Ours (Moorefield, W.Va. / Moorefield), who drew an RBI walk.
 
Waynesburg's advantage grew to 7-0 when Bell legged out an RBI single that scored sophomore Seth Burgdolt (Taylorstown, Pa. / McGuffey) in the top of the sixth.
 
Denison broke up the shutout in its half of the sixth with its first three runs of the late contest.
The Jackets posted their final two runs of the season in style when Burner teed off on his team-leading fifth homerun.
 
Denison scratched out one more run in the bottom of the ninth, but Erhard and his defense were able to close the door on the rally.
 
Waynesburg banged out 12 hits in game two, three of which came from Engelmore. Pratt, Bell and Vertullo chipped in two base knocks each to the winning effort. Burner drove in two runs and scored two more.
 
Erhard picked up his team-leading fourth win of the season (4-3) after allowing three earned runs on six hits, five walks and four strikeouts.