AUSTINTOWN — John Carroll University won a pair of high-scoring, Ohio Athletic Conference games over the Wilmington College baseball team on Saturday, claiming game one 14-13 and winning the nightcap 12-10.
Game one began as a pitcher’s duel, but ended as an offensive shootout. The starters – Luke Chappie for Wilmington and Andrew Steele for JCU – pitched four innings of scoreless baseball. The Quakers left the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, and the Blue Streak plated the game’s first two runs with consecutive doubles in the bottom of the inning.
Things got wild in the sixth. Both teams batted around and combined for 16 runs in the inning. The Quakers plated seven runs on five hits that included RBI-hits from Dominic Depa, Jacob Kalt and Tyler Shaneyfelt while Aaron Burns and Noah Martin drew bases-loaded walks. The visitor’s 7-2 lead wouldn’t last long as the hosts plated eight runs, six unearned.
Wilmington got the four runs back with a pair of two-out, two-RBI doubles from Martin and Shaneyfelt. A Glazer solo home run in the eighth put JCU up 12-11, but again, the Quakers rallied in the ninth. Depa and Burns set the table, and after Kalt executed a sacrifice to move both runners into scoring position, Martin delivered again, doubling down the left field line.
The Blue Streaks won the game in the bottom of the ninth.
Jesse Reliford took the loss by allowing the final two runs in the ninth inning. Chappie allowed five earned runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings.
Offensively, Shaneyfelt, Depa and Burns all had three-hit games while Martin joined Shaneyfelt as the two Quakers to drive in at least four runs.
The nightcap followed a similar script. The Quakers took a 6-2 lead after a five-run fourth but the Blue Streaks hit five homeruns the rest of the game to win it.
Mac Davis took the loss for WC, allowing two earned runs while recording one out.
Burns went 2-for-5 with four RBIs for the Quakers while Caleb Scott added 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Wilmington (11-11, 1-3 OAC) will host Berea College for a single game Tuesday.
