(WILMINGTON, Ohio) - After a lopsided opener, Wilmington showed resilience in game two, rallying late but ultimately falling 6-4 to Baldwin Wallace.
Game 1 – 18-0 (7 Inn.) Loss
The Yellow Jackets' offense proved to be too much for the Quakers in game one. The visitors jumped ahead 5-0 in the first two innings. Nathan Powers collected himself and fired off a scoreless third inning with an inning-ending double play. A combination of errors and hits, led to an eight-run top of the 4th inning for Baldwin Wallace. Anthony DeMassimo relieved Powers, allowed two unearned runs as Wilmington found themselves down 13-0.
Zane Matthews opened the bottom half with a leadoff single, his first of two hits on the day. Wilmington did not muster any runs, but Javier Serantes fired off an impressive 1-2-3 inning of relief in the top of the 5th. Bodie Abbott relieved Serantes in the sixth, as the visitors added two more runs. Trailing 16-0, Ethan Swett recorded the final three outs, but allowed two more runs, as the Quakers fell 18-0 in seven innings.
Game 2 – 6-4 Loss
The Quakers and Yellow Jackets were scoreless through four innings, thanks to Bobby Fleming. The righty had some troubles but held the visitors to no hits through four innings of work. He worked around a few walks and hit-by-pitches in a hectic start on Saturday afternoon. In the bottom of the 3rd, Caleb Fugate had a one-out single, and Dominic Depa flared one down the leftfield line. JP Donelan roped one to center, but it hung up, stranding both runners.
Fleming left three men on base in the top of the 4th, working around a two-out bases loaded jam with a flyout to end the inning. The Yellow Jackets recorded their first hit in the top of the 5th, on an infield single. The leadoff batter reached on an error, and with one-out, a groundout scored the first run for Baldwin Wallace, who led 1-0 after the top of the 5th.
Back-to-back no out singles put the Yellow Jackets in striking position in the top of the 6th. On an 0-2 count, Fleming gave up a double and a single, putting the Quakers down 3-0. Brent Case relieved Fleming and allowed a walk, but an inning ending double play saved Case. The reliever got the batter to flyout to Donelan in right, who fired to Max Gildea at first, who fired to Jake Stephens behind the dish to execute a perfect relay, preventing a fourth run.
Wilmington used the momentum heading into the bottom of the 6th, as Braden Chambes led off with a single and a stolen base. Depa then smoked a ball through the right side. As the right fielder approached the ball, he whiffed, and it rolled to the fence. On his horse, Depa dashed around the bases and scored all the way from home, putting the Quakers down 3-2. The next three hitters each went down in order.
Baldwin Wallace added two more runs after an error in the top of the 8th, leading 5-2. In the top of the 9th, they tacked on one more run to go up 6-2. Eli Hollingsworth singled in the bottom of the 9th, as Stephens reached on an error. Brody Julian then dropped one in between no-man's-land to load the bases. An RBI single by Chambers put the Quakers within two with the go-ahead run at the plate. Trailing 6-4, Depa and Gabe McDowell each got out, as Wilmington dropped game two 6-4.
Game 2 Notables
-
Bobby Fleming took the loss, but the righty held Baldwin Wallace hitless through 4.0+ innings. His final line was 5.1 innings, five hits, three runs, two earned runs, with two walks and three hit-by-pitches.
What's Up Next
The Quakers turn around and welcome the Owls of Kenyon College tomorrow afternoon for a 2:00 P.M. matchup.
