Ohio Wesleyan 8, Muskingum 7

April 29, 2009

Sophomore outfielder Eric Livingston (Delaware/Hayes) drove in the go-ahead run as Ohio Wesleyan edged Muskingum in non-conference action on Thursday at Littick Field.

The Bishops raced to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, scoring all 4 runs with 2 outs. Senior shortstop Logan Hronis (Rocky River/St. Edward) launched a 2-out double, and Livingston followed with a double to the warning track in right to put Ohio Wesleyan on the scoreboard. Senior third baseman Eric McComas (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Groves) then reached when Muskingum third baseman Tyler Gibbs's throw pulled first baseman Colton Newell off the bag, with Livingston checking in at third on a play. Sophomore outfielder Scott Wise (Delaware/Hayes) followed with a single up the middle, scoring Livingston, and continued to second when Muskingum centerfielder Forrest Wright overran the ball. Junior catcher Steve Ruygrok (Centennial, Colo./Cherry Creek) then delivered a single to center, scoring McComas and Wise, to put the Bishops ahead, 4-0.

Muskingum closed to within 4-3 on Brock Whiteman's 3-run homer in the third, and took the lead with 3 more runs in the fourth, capped by Wes Carder's RBI single.

Hronis singled in a run in the fifth to bring the Bishops within 6-5, and Ohio Wesleyan took the lead in the sixth. The Bishops loaded the bases with nobody out as McComas reached on Newell's throwing error, Wise bunted for a single and Ruygrok walked. Freshman first baseman Tim Knezovich (Columbus/Briggs) grounded into a double play, with McComas scoring the tying run, and sophomore second baseman Josh Gardner (Youngstown/Boardman) followed with a single off Muskingum pitcher Chris Wolfe, plating Wise for a 7-6 Bishop lead.

The Muskies evened the game in the seventh when Carder scored on Erik Spitzer's infield single.

Ohio Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the inning as freshman second baseman James DiBiasio (Westlake) led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice by sophomore outfielder Zach Frentsos (Delaware/Hayes). Hronis followed with a walk, with DiBiasio taking third when the final pitch to Hronis was in the dirt for a wild pitch. Livingston then followed with a grounder to Gibbs, who made a good play to nab Hronis at second, but the relay to first was not in time to get Livingston, with DiBiasio crossing the plate with what proved to be the winning run.

Freshman righthander Andrew Cox (Ashville/Teays Valley) worked the final 3.0 innings, striking out 4 and walking 2, to collect the mound decision.

Jared Patterson was charged with the loss for Muskingum.

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