Ohio Wesleyan 14, Wittenberg 8
Wittenberg 5, Ohio Wesleyan 4

April 26, 2004

Senior outfielder Mike Schultheis (Columbus/Watterson) drove in 4 runs and senior righthander Shaun Burchett (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) helped his own cause with 3 RBI as Ohio Wesleyan outslugged Wittenberg in the opener of a North Coast Athletic Conference West Division doubleheader on Monday in Springfield.

The win clinched a spot in the NCAC tournament for Ohio Wesleyan. The Bishops finished second in the West Division and will face East Division titlist Wooster in a best-of-3 series scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Wooster. The winner of that series will advance to the NCAC championship, a best-of-3 series scheduled for May 6-7 at Springfield.

In the nightcap of Monday's doubleheader, Wittenberg rallied for 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a win and salvage a split.

Ohio Wesleyan erupted for 4 runs in the top of the first inning of the opener. Sophomore second baseman Brandon Williams (Dublin/Coffman) led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch before senior designated hitter Tyler Mott (Grove City) lined an RBI double to put the Bishops ahead. Freshman outfielder Kyle Sherman (Plain City/Dublin Scioto) followed with an RBI single and senior catcher Andy Busch (Westerville/South) added another single. The runners moved to second and third on a ground out by freshman first baseman Tom Bottichio (Mason) before Schultheis lined a 2-run single to cap the inning.

The Tigers got one run back in the bottom of the inning on Matt Foster's RBI single and tied the game with 3 runs in the bottom of the second, lumping together 5 walks and a Jon Komperda RBI single.

The Bishops answered with 4 runs in the top of the third. With Schultheis on first and 2 out, Ohio Wesleyan loaded the bases as senior outfielder Mike Albert (Shelby) was hit by a pitch and senior second baseman Brad Whitman (Canfield) walked. Burchett followed with a 2-run single that put the Bishops ahead to stay and Williams followed with a 2-run double to make the score 8-4.

Busch added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to increase the Bishop lead to 9-4, but Wittenberg closed to within 9-7 with 3 runs in the bottom of the fourth, with RBIs by K.R. Schlievert, Brian Hampp and Tom Pickering.

Burchett added another RBI single and Mott slammed a solo homer in the fifth, Busch belted a solo homer in the sixth and Schultheis drilled a 2-run single in the seventh to wrap up the Bishop scoring.

Burchett, who came on in relief of senior lefthander Mike Grady (North Canton/Hoover) in the second, was credited with the win. Burchett pitched the final 5.1 innings, allowing 4 hits and 3 earned runs. He struck out 8 and walked 5.

Steve Less was the starting and losing pitcher for Wittenberg.

In the nightcap, Wittenberg took a 3-0 lead in the third inning on Schlievert's RBI single and Foster's 2-run homer.

The Bishops chipped away, pulling to within 3-1 in the fourth on consecutive singles by senior outfielder Byron Lowe (Medford, Mass./Cambridge Ridge), freshman first baseman Steve Toneatti (Ramsey, N.J./St. Stephen's Episcopal) and freshman second baseman Sean Ring (Hilliard/Davidson).

Lowe crushed a 2-run homer in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3, then the Bishops took the lead in the sixth as Ring led off with an infield single, moved to second on a sacrifice by freshman designated hitter Nick Rice (Dublin/Scioto) and scored on a double by sophomore outfielder Adam Toney (Galloway/Westland).

Wittenberg rallied in the bottom of the seventh when Kyle Wolf led off with a single and Komperda followed with a bunt single. Schlievert sacrificed the runners to second and third, but sophomore lefthander Josh Nice (Hinckley/Highland) retired Foster on a comebacker for the second out. Hampp then reached on an error by shortstop Sherman, with Wolf scoring on the play, and Adam Keller singled to center to plate Komperda with the winning run.

Nice went the distance on the mound for the Bishops, scattering 10 hits and allowing 3 earned runs while striking out 4 and walking 2.

Wayne Massie, who came on to get the final out of the seventh inning, was the winning pitcher for Wittenberg.

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