April 1, 2006

Wolverines split twinbill

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team split a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader with visiting Thiel Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines (11-4, 4-2 PAC) earned a 6-2 win in the opener but Thiel (11-9, 2-4 PAC) rallied for a 5-4 victory in the nightcap.

In the opener, Grove City senior Ryan Carr (New Castle, Pa./Mohawk) fired a three-hitter to improve to 4-0 on the season. He allowed just two earned runs and walked only one in seven innings.

Grove City took the lead for good in the fifth as senior shortstop Mike Ritter (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) cracked a two-run home run, his team-leading third of the season. In the sixth, sophomore third baseman Bryan Pierrot (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) hit his first homer of the season, a three-run blast.

Sophomore DH Mike Hess (Sewickley, Pa./Avonworth) added a double. Grove City had just five hits against Thiel pitcher Eric Wadowsky.

Grove City rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the sixth inning of the nightcap to take a 4-3 lead. Senior right fielder Jerry Ott (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) belted a two-run homer to right, cutting Thiel's lead to 3-2. Later in the inning, a bloop single by junior left fielder Chris Schwamberger (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison) scored catcher Ray Mertz (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler). Grove City then took the lead on Pierrot's run-scoring groundout.

However, Thiel scored twice in the seventh against Wolverine closer Justin Miller (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township). It is Miller's first blown save over the past two seasons.

Freshman Zach Hillegas (Bridgeport, W. Va./Bridgeport) started for Grove City and allowed no runs and just one hit in 3 1/3 innings. Hillegas did walk eight Thiel batters, however. He also recorded three strikeouts. Junior Eric Hull (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) allowed two earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief work.

Grove City will host D'Youville College in a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Game One Box Score            Game Two Box Score

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