March 22, 2014

Grove City opens conference play with sweep

GREENVILLE, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team opened its 2014 Presidents' Athletic Conference schedule Saturday afternoon by sweeping both ends of a doubleheader at league foe Thiel.

The Wolverines earned a 4-1 win in Game One and then rallied for a 6-4 victory in the second game at Tomcat Park.

In the opener, junior pitcher Mason Stephens (Uniontown, Ohio/Lake) allowed just three hits and no earned runs over six innings to earn the victory.

Grove City broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the fourth when sophomore left fielder Kenny McCracken (Wheaton, Ill./Aurora Christian) singled in freshman catcher Nolan Myers (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield).

In the fifth, senior third baseman Matt Corner (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock) boosted the lead to 4-1 by lacing a two-run single to center, scoring freshman first baseman Matt Waugaman (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and freshman center fielder David Laylock (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pine-Richland).

Freshman Ryan Braundmeier (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) pitched a scoreless seventh for his first collegiate save.

Grove City scored three times in the top of the seventh in the Game Two, breaking a 3-3 tie. Myers walked with the bases loaded to give Grove City the lead. Corner then followed with a two-run single that scored Waugaman and junior left fielder Josh Hodges (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City).

Waugaman doubled in Hodges in the fifth, tying the game 3-3. Hodges and Laylock both scored twice for the Wolverines, who had five hits.

Senior pitcher Erick Locker (Canton, Ohio/Lake Center Christian) earned his second win of the season after firing a complete game. He allowed one earned run and eight hits over seven innings. Locker did not walk a batter.

It is Grove City's first sweep of a conference road doubleheader since the Wolverines took two games at Saint Vincent March 29, 2011.

Grove City (4-7, 2-0 PAC) will visit Washington & Jefferson Friday afternoon in conference action.

Game One Box Score            Game Two Box Score

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