Ohio Wesleyan 8, Ohio Dominican 7

April 16, 2008

Senior outfielder Joey McDaniel (Dublin/Scioto) slammed a 3-run homer to open the Ohio Wesleyan scoring and singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth to finish it as the Bishops edged Ohio Dominican in non-conference play on Wednesday at Littick Field.

With the score tied at 7-7, junior outfielder Matt Rhode (Port Clinton) led off the bottom of the eighth with a walk and moved to second on an infield out by senior second baseman Jerrell Johnson (Shaker Heights). One out later, McDaniel flared a single into left center to score Rhode with the go-ahead run.

Freshman righthander Eric Livingston (Delaware/Hayes) then retired the Panthers in order in the ninth to close out the win.

Ohio Dominican bunched together 5 hits to score 3 times in the top of the third.

Meanwhile, Panther starter Jonathan Kountis was in top form, retiring the first 7 Bishop hitters. With one out in the third, however, Johnson was hit by a pitch and sophomore catcher Steve Ruygrok (Centennial, Colo./Cherry Creek) was plunked. McDaniel then ended the no-hitter and the shutout by launching the ball over the centerfield fence, tying the game at 3-3.

Ruygrok yanked a 2-out double down the leftfield line in the fourth, scoring senior outfielder Brent Wilkins (Fairview Park/Fairview) and senior first baseman A.J. Dote (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne), and the Bishops increased their lead to 6-3 on Dote's RBI single in the fifth.

Wilbert Morales doubled in a run to bring the Panthers within 6-4 in the top of the sixth, but Ohio Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the inning when Ruygrok reached on an infield single, moved to second on an infield out and scored on a single by freshman outfielder Zach Frentsos (Delaware/Hayes).

The Panthers tied the game in the top of the eighth. Germaine McAlpine led off with a single and Felix Brown beat out a bunt, with McAlpine taking third as Livingston threw wildly to first on the play. Joe Janusik forced Brown at second, scoring McAlpine, before Morales homered to left to make it a 7-7 game.

McDaniel went 2-for-5 with 4 RBI, while Ruygrok was 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.

Junior righthander Greg Vasami (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Rye Neck) started on the mound for the Bishops, pitching 5.0 solid innings. He struck out 5 and walked 3. Livingston, who started the sixth inning, was credited with the win in relief.

Ryan Robowski, the last of 4 Ohio Dominican pitchers, was charged with the loss.

Box Score