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Ohio Wesleyan 10, Rio Grande 9 (4/25/2002)

Junior outfielder Joe Loudenslager (Hillard/Darby) ripped a 2-run single to put the Bishops ahead to stay and sophomore righthander Andy Busch (Westerville/South) struck out the side in the ninth to preserve the win as Ohio Wesleyan nipped Rio Grande in non-conference play on Thursday at Littick Field.

Ohio Wesleyan jumped to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a 2-run single by senior first baseman Drew Caravella (Columbus/Hilliard Davidson) and a bases-loaded double-play grounder by Busch that scored junior shortstop Seth Tenpenny (Powell/Worthington Kilbourne).

Rio Grande tied the game in the top of the second, with a Jake Sperry home run and a a Lance Davis RBI single the key hits. The Redmen added 2 runs in the third on RBI singles by Cory Maynard and Jason Wheeler and bumped the lead to 6-3 on Brent Ewing's RBI double in the fourth.

The Bishops tied the game with 3 runs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior outfielder Shaun Rice (Dublin/Columbus Watterson) led off the inning with a home run. One out later, Tenpenny was hit by a pitch, Caravella walked and junior catcher Bo Burnett (Powell/Olentangy) singled in Tenpenny. Caravella later scored on a wild pitch to even the game at 6-6.

Rio Grande took a 7-6 in the top of the fifth on Jarrod Haines' run-scoring single.

With one out in the Ohio Wesleyan fifth, junior shortstop Joe Deck (Waverly) lined a double to the gap in leftcenter. Senior outfielder Michael Hershberger (Massillon/Canton Central Catholic) walked and Rice was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Loudenslager singled up the middle to score Deck and Hershberger, with Rice taking third and Loudenslager moving to second on the throw. Tenpenny plated a run with a ground out to second and Caravella doubled to left to score Loudenslager, making the score 10-7.

Rio Grande threatened in the seventh, loading the bases off sophomore lefthander Mike Grady (North Canton/Hoover) with 2 out, but Busch came on to strike out Shaun Runion to end the threat.

Redmen outfielder Josh McMillen yanked a 2-run homer down the leftfield line in the eighth, bringing Rio Grande to within 10-9, but Busch got out of the inning and then struck out the side in the ninth to record his second save of the season.

Caravella, Rice and Burnett each had 2 hits for the Bishops, with Rice scoring 3 runs and Caravella driving in 3 runs.

Grady worked the first 6.2 innings in picking up his first collegiate win.