OWU Online | Sports Releases

Ohio Wesleyan 2, Manchester 1 (5/18/2002)

Junior outfielder Joe Loudenslager (Hilliard/Darby) drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly and sophomore righthander Andy Busch (Westerville/South) got the last out to preserve an Ohio Wesleyan win over Manchester in Game 5 of the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional on Saturday in Marietta.

Ohio Wesleyan will face Marietta in the regional championship game at noon on Saturday. If Ohio Wesleyan wins that game, the teams will play again at 3:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Division III World Series in Grand Chute, Wis.

Manchester jumped to a 1-0 lead before some fans had settled in their seats. Nick Chaney slapped a ground ball to junior third baseman Mark Wherry (Dublin/Scioto), but Wherry's throw sailed down the first base line and Chaney ended up on third base. Daniel Vaughn followed with a groundout to shortstop that scored Chaney.

That looked like it would be enough for Spartan pitcher Ryan Tait. The diminutive southpaw held the Bishop offense in check, allowing only 2 hits -- both by sophomore third baseman Tyler Mott (Grove City) -- and inducing 3 double plays during that span.

Ohio Wesleyan finally got to Tait in the eighth inning. Wherry singled up the middle, junior shortstop Joe Deck (Waverly) followed with a single and junior second baseman Matt Fortuna (Strongsville/St. Edward) lined a single to center that scored pinch-runner Mike Albert (Shelby) with the tying run.

Manchester brought in righthander Joel Barrus to face senior outfielder Shaun Rice (Dublin/Columbus Watterson) and got Rice on a fly ball to right center, with Deck tagging and advancing to third. Loudenslager followed with a fly ball to left center that scored Deck.

The Spartans threatened in the top of the ninth when Josh Brock led off with a single to left and Ryan Carr followed with a single to left, with pinch-runner Thom Conover holding at second.

The complexion of the inning changed when Brian Minix missed a bunt attempt and junior catcher Bo Burnett (Powell/Olentangy) threw through to second, picking Conover off. That play proved instrumental when Minix singled to shallow right, with Carr holding at second.

Senior lefthander Matt Farmwald (Plain City/Jonathan Alder), who had blanked the Spartans since the first inning, came back and retired Brandon Hughes on a foul ball to third baseman Fortuna.

Busch then came on to face leadoff hitter Nick Chaney and got him on a called third strike to record his third save of the season.

Farmwald scattered 9 hits during his 8.2 innings of work, striking out 4 and walking 3.

Tait was charged with the loss for Manchester.