Ohio Wesleyan 6, Hope 5

May 18, 2007

Junior outfielder Brent Wilkins (Fairview Park/Fairview) cracked a solo homer and sophomore shortstop Logan Hronis (Rocky River/St. Edward) belted a 2-run double during a 4-run third inning that put Ohio Wesleyan ahead, and the Bishops held off a Flying Dutchmen rally in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Hope in an NCAA Division III regional tournament game on Friday at Mills Field in Strongsville, Ohio.

Ohio Wesleyan will play Marietta at noon on Saturday at Mills Field, with a second game to follow at 3:30 p.m. if necessary. The Bishops would have to win twice on Saturday to win the regional championship. A Marietta win in either the first or second game would give the regional championship to the Pioneers.
Wooster Regional Web site

The Bishops took a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Wilkins crushed a 1-out homer to right center, and after the second out, junior outfielder Joey McDaniel (Dublin/Scioto) singled to left. Junior first baseman A.J. Dote (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) followed with a bouncer down the first base line, but the ball bounced off the shin of Hope first baseman Matt VanderVelde for an error. Senior second baseman Kyle Sherman (Plain City/Dublin Scioto) delivered a single to left, scoring McDaniel, and Hronis doubled off the wall in left, plating Dote and Sherman.

The Flying Dutchmen got one run back in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases on a Hronis error, a walk and a single by Matt Sattler. Mike VanderVelde followed with a bouncer to Sherman at second base. Sherman forced Mike VanderVelde at second, but his throw to first pulled Dote off the bag, allowing Matt Van Beek to score, before Mike VanderVelde was tagged out between first and second to end the inning.

Ohio Wesleyan added 2 runs in the sixth. The Bishops loaded the bases with nobody out as Hronis singled, senior outfielder Sean Ring (Hilliard/Davidson) reached on a bunt single and junior third baseman Donnie Paul (Lewis Center/Olentangy) was hit by a pitch. Ruygrok drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Wilkins followed with an RBI single to right. Freshman outfielder Daniel Hurst (Hamilton/Badin) delivered another single to right, but Paul was thrown out at the plate for the second out, and Hope centerfielder Sattler made a diving catch of a flare off the bat of McDaniel to retire the side.

Hope answered in the bottom of the sixth, opening the frame with singles by Joey Goeb and Sattler, only the second and third hits allowed by McDaniel. The runners moved to second and third on a sacrifice before Brian Baker ripped a line off McDaniel's glove for an infield single before Bill Lutke drew a walk to load the bases and chase McDaniel. Matt VanderVelde greeted freshman righthander Tyler Smith (Bryan) with a single to center, scoring Sattler to make it 6-3, before Brock Doud bounced into a double play to end the inning.

The Flying Dutchmen rallied in the bottom of the ninth, with Scott Sommavilla lining a double to the gap in right center to lead off the inning. After an infield out, Goeb singled to left center, with Sommavilla holding at third. Sattler then hit a one-hopper to freshman third baseman Eric McComas (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Groves), who had the ball bounce off him for an error to load the bases. Mike VanderVelde followed with a single to left, scoring Sommavilla to make it 6-4, and Baker grounded out to Dote at first base, scoring Goeb to bring the Dutchmen within a run, and sending the runners to second and third. Freshman righthander Matthew Struble (Defiance/Edon) relieved junior righthander Sean Speed (Cincinnati/St. Xavier), inheriting a 1-0 count on Lutke, but Struble bounced back to strike out Lutke to end the game.

Hronis was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI, while Wilkins was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and McDaniel, Dote and Ring also collected 2 hits apiece.

McDaniel started on the mound for the Bishops, allowing 4 hits through 5.1 innings while striking out 1 and walking 3. Smith came on in the sixth and allowed 3 hits in 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, and Speed pitched 1.1 innings of relief before Struble nailed down the win for his second save of the season.

Matt Richardson was the starting and losing pitcher for Hope.

Box Score

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