Freshman catcher Tim Robinson (Washington Court House/Washington) plated the game-winning run in the opener and sophomore outfielder John Rings (Centerburg) drove in the go-ahead run in the nightcap as Ohio Wesleyan swept a non-conference doubleheader from Penn State-Behrend on Saturday at Littick Field.
The Bishops trailed, 8-5, heading into the bottom of the eighth inning of the opener, but loaded the bases with nobody out as sophomore catcher Dalton Henderson (Bethel/New Richmond) reached on an error by Lion shortstop Brandon Bergstrom, junior outfielder Michael Blatchford (Shaker Heights) walked, and Rings beat out a bunt single. Senior outfielder Aaron Strausbaugh (Dublin/Scioto) greeted Lion closer Scott Sada with a single to right, scoring 2 runs, and junior second baseman Colin Stolly (Lima/Central Catholic) followed with a fielder’s choice to score Rings with the tying run. A single by senior first baseman Devin Van Winkle (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) and a walk to sophomore second baseman Chuck Kuhn (Reminderville/Twinsburg) filled the sacks, and one out later, Robinson drew a walk to force home the deciding run and give the Bishops a thrilling 9-8 win.
Junior righthander Kevin Zullo (Hudson) retired Penn State-Behrend in order in the ninth to record his first save of the season.
Ohio Wesleyan had taken a 3-0 lead in the first inning, highlighted by Stolly’s 2-run single.
Penn State-Behrend closed to within 3-2 in the third, highlighted by Brian Bohman’s RBI single, and took the lead in the fifth on a Bohman RBI double.
Stolly knocked in the tying run in the fifth and the Bishops took a 5-4 lead on Henderson’s single in the sixth, but the Lions answered with 4 runs in the top of the seventh, capped by Justin Foreman’s 2-run double.
Rings went 3-for-4, Blatchford scored 3 runs, and Stolly drove in 4 runs for Ohio Wesleyan. Sophomore righthander Tom Ryan (Columbus/St. Charles) was the winning pitcher in relief.
Sada was charged with the loss for the Lions.
In the nightcap, Penn State-Behrend took the lead on John Brittner’s RBI single in the second.
Ohio Wesleyan responded in the bottom of the inning as Robinson led off with a walk, stole second, and scored on a single by sophomore third baseman Anthony Crow (Morrow/Bishop Fenwick).
The Bishops took the lead in the fifth as Crow led off with a single, Blatchford was hit by a pitch, and Rings drove a single through the left side to score Crow.
The Lions threatened in the ninth as Ryan Hamm led off with a single and Sada followed with a double down the leftfield line to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Senior righthander Will Clyne (Norwalk, Conn./Notre Dame) came on in relief and retired the next 3 hitters, getting Bohman on a fly ball to shallow right and striking out David Boehme and Eric Bellisario to preserve the 2-1 decision and notch his first save of the season.
Stolly and Crow had 2 hits apiece for Ohio Wesleyan. Freshman righthander Justin Grubb (Pickerington/North) worked the first 5.0 innings, allowing 3 hits, to collect the victory.
Justin Rohrer was the starting and losing pitcher for Penn State-Behrend.
