DELAWARE, Ohio – Host Ohio Wesleyan scored eight runs over the game's final three innings to pull away for a 12-4 win over Allegheny in a North Coast Athletic Conference matinee at Littick Field.
The Gators (9-14, 3-4 NCAC) tallied 11 hits, including four for extra bases, but stranded nine runners on base, while Ohio Wesleyan (10-12, 4-3 NCAC) was aided by three double plays in the field, and by drawing seven walks from the Gator pitching staff.
Noah Shannon,
Cullen Flaherty, and
Ethan Pawlak each had two hits to lead the Gator offense, with Flaherty adding three RBIs and Pawlak a pair of runs scored.
Allegheny's offense looked primed to bust out early, but were held off the scoreboard over the opening two innings, despite tallying five hits, including
Tyler Wagner double to lead off the second.
The Battling Bishops would have no such trouble, posting a four-run top of the second. In the inning, OWU had three hits, a walk, and a hit batter, while also scoring an unearned run after an outfield error to take the 4-0 lead.
The Gators would tally three more baserunners over the third and fourth innings, but were unable to cut into the deficit, as both frames ended with ground ball double plays.
Allegheny finally got on the board in the fifth. Pawlak singled and
Keegan Phillips doubled to open the frame, before Flaherty cleared the bases with a double to the right center gap to cut the deficit in half, 4-2. After
Brandon Pouch reached on an error to put runners at the corners, OWU starter Kevin Zullo got his third double play of the game, but Flaherty would score to pull the Gators to within one heading into the bottom of the fifth.
The Battling Bishops took advantage of a pair of Gator errors to plate a single tally in the bottom of the fifth and make it a 5-3 lead, before they sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and scored two runs on two hits and a walk to go up 7-3.
Pawlak opened the top of the seventh with a double, and promptly scored on a ground ball from Flaherty to cut the deficit to 7-4, but the Gators would get no closer. In the bottom of the eighth, Ohio Wesleyan sent 13 men to the plate and scored five runs on five hits and a pair of walks to open up the 12-4 lead.
Allegheny loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with an error, a hit-by-pitch, and a walk, but Ohio Wesleyan reliever Canyon McWilliams retired the final three batters in order, with two strikeouts, to end the game.
Nate Pastorek started for the Gators and took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits, with two walks and two strikeouts. He was one of five Allegheny pitchers used on the afternoon.
Zullo threw seven innings to earn the win for OWU, scattering 10 hits and allowing four runs with three strikeouts. McWilliams worked the final two frames to earn the safe. Offensively, the Battling Bishops racked 13 hits, with five different players tallying at least two apiece. Jon Erhard led the way, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. McWilliams, who began the game at first base, finished 2-for-5 with a triple and four RBIs.
The two teams will now face a quick turnaround, as they will close out the two-game series on Saturday, April 14 at 9 a.m. Originally scheduled to begin at noon, the start time has been pushed forward three hours in hopes of avoiding heavy rains that are forecast for the central Ohio area throughout the afternoon.
