March 22, 2011

Grove City splits with Case Western

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with visiting Case Western Reserve (14-7) Tuesday afternoon at R. Jack Behringer Field. Case Western rallied for a 15-9 win in the opener but Grove City (5-7) pulled out a 2-1 win in Game Two.

In the nightcap, sophomore pitcher Erick Locker (Canton, Ohio/Lake Center Christian) allowed no earned runs over six-plus innings to help the Wolverines secure the win. Locker struck out four and walked just one in six innings. Sophomore Zach Butler (Massillon, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian) recorded the final three outs for the save.

Grove City took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as sophomore right fielder Josh Sacks (Columbia, Md./Chapelgate Christian) walked, stole second and scored on a single by freshman shortstop Tom Hawley (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora).

The Wolverines added their second run in the fourth when senior DH Marcus Magister (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) scored on a single by sophomore catcher Doug Wells (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's). Magister also doubled in the win for Grove City, which had just four hits in Game Two.

Case Western scored an unearned run in the sixth and had two runners in scoring position with two outs in the seventh but senior center fielder Dan Quirk (Albany, N.Y./Schuylerville) snared a sinking liner to preserve the lead.

Grove City rapped 15 hits, including seven doubles, in Game One but Case Western's 10-run sixth inning proved pivotal. Grove City led 9-4 entering the sixth but the Spartans combined seven hits with two Wolverine errors to break the game open.

Senior second baseman Andrew Patterson (Akron, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian) collected three hits for the Wolverines while Quirk and senior shortstop Scott Moran (Columbia, Md./Chapelgate Christian) both doubled twice. Sacks doubled and singled, as did senior DH Kyle Wolff (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville).

Magister singled twice and junior third baseman Brandon Durbin (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) added a double.

Senior pitcher Andy Klimek (Oakdale, Pa./South Fayette) started for Grove City and pitched 1 1/3 innings. Sophomore Max Vickerman (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) held Case scoreless in the third, fourth and fifth innings and ultimately allowed two runs in 3 2/3 innings. Seniors J.T. Seelman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson), Steve Stombaugh (Mount Lebanon, Pa./Mount Lebanon) and Chip Hasek (Valencia, Pa./Mars) also pitched in relief with Seelman taking the setback.

Grove City will host Thomas More Friday in both teams' Presidents' Athletic Conference opener.

Game One Box Score            Game Two Box Score

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