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Ohio Wesleyan 3, Capital 2
Capital 14, Ohio Wesleyan 9
April 20, 2008
![[ Logan Hronis ]](../images/hronis2.jpg)
Junior shortstop Logan Hronis (Rocky River/St. Edward) singled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Ohio Wesleyan over Capital in the opener of a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday at Littick Field.
In the nightcap, senior second baseman Jerrell Johnson (Shaker Heights) smashed a grand slam to highlight an 8-run fourth inning that gave the Bishops a 9-1 lead, but Capital rallied to escape with a split.
The Bishops took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the opener when senior outfielder Joey McDaniel (Dublin/Scioto) led off with a walk and took second on a sacrifice. Hronis followed with a walk before sophomore third baseman Eric McComas (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Groves) singled to load the bases and senior first baseman A.J. Dote (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) lofted a sacrifice fly to plate McDaniel.
Ohio Wesleyan added a run in the second as sophomore catcher Steve Ruygrok (Centennial, Colo./Cherry Creek) drew a 2-out walk and scored on McDaniel's double.
Capital closed the gap to 2-1 in the fourth when Dave Barteck reached on a fielding error by senior righthander Sean Speed (Cincinnati/St. Xavier), moved to second on a single by Ryan Hutchinson, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on Hronis's error on Andy Daggett's grounder.
The Crusaders tied the game in the sixth as Steven Vennstra led off with a single, moved to second on an infield out, took third on a sacrifice and scored on a balk.
Johnson led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk. Ruygrok dropped a bunt to move Johnson to second, but all runners were safe when Capital catcher Zach Byers's throw to first base was high. McDaniel struck out for the first out and freshman outfielder Zach Frentsos (Delaware/Hayes) forced Johnson at third before Hronis singled to left center, with Ruygrok scoring on the play.
Speed pitched the complete game for the Bishops, scattering 4 hits while striking out 7 and walking none.
Michael Graffin worked the complete game for Capital.
In the nightcap, the Bishops took a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo homer by junior outfielder Matt Rhode (Port Clinton).
Capital tied the game in the fourth when Nick Snider legged out an infield single. Daggett then bounced back to pitcher McDaniel, whose throw to second for the force on Snider was wide, with all hands safe. The runners moved up on a passed ball before Vennstra plated Snider with an infield out.
Ohio Wesleyan answered with 8 runs in the bottom of the inning, all coming after 2 were out. The Bishops loaded the bases with walks to senior third baseman Nick Collinger (Columbus/Whetstone), junior catcher Josh Dougherty (Hilliard/Davidson) and freshman outfielder Scott Wise (Delaware/Hayes) before Johnson sent the ball over the leftfield fence for a 5-1 Ohio Wesleyan lead. McDaniel followed with a walk and Frentsos doubled before Hronis doubled in both runners, then senior first baseman Caleb Douce (Caledonia/River Valley) finished off the inning with a 2-run homer.
Capital closed to within 9-6 in the top of the fifth, with Hutchison and Tom Stevison driving RBI singles and Vennstra doubling in 2 runs, and the Crusaders made it 9-8 in the sixth on Hutchison's 2-run double.
Sophomore righthander Matthew Struble (Defiance/Edon) came on to pitch the seventh and got leadoff hitter Daggett on a fly out before walking Vennstra and hitting Ian Smith with a pitch. Struble then induced John Rowan to bounce to second base, but all runners were safe on a fielding error by sophomore second baseman Tyson Snyder (Bryan), loading the bases. Jeremy Meizlish singled in the tying run before Bartek was hit by a pitch to force home the go-ahead run. Rowan then scored on a passed ball to give the Crusaders an 11-9 lead, and with first base open, Stevison was intentionally walked. Snider then cleared the bases with a triple to straightaway center to extend the Capital lead to 14-9.
Struble was charged the loss in relief.
Ryan Busch, the third of 3 Capital pitchers, was credited with the win.
