April 10, 2002

BOX SCORE (Game 1)
BOX SCORE (Game 2)

NEW CONCORD, Ohio ­ The Wilmington College Quakers split a double header with conference foe Muskingum College on Wednesday. The Muskies won the first game 7-4 before the Quakers prevailed 11-6 in the second game.

In the first game Wilmington jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Al Ledford (Blanchester/Blanchester) hit a leadoff home run, giving the visitors the one run lead. Muskingum countered with three runs in their half of the second inning, giving the hosts a 3-0 lead, and one they would not relinquish. The Green and White scored again in the second inning, cutting the Muskie lead to one when Justin Evans (Franklin/Franklin) singled, scoring Joe Rosato (Mason/Mason). The game remained close until the fourth inning when Muskingum scored two runs and then followed that with two more runs in the fifth, giving the hosts a 7-2 advantage. The Quakers would cut into the lead in the top of the seventh when Justin Rogers (Cardington/Cardington-Lincoln) scored on a wild pitch and Evans knocked in Rosato but it was not enough, as the Quakers fell 7-4.

The Quakers were led with four batters recording two hits, with Josh Martin (Circleville/Circleville) going two-for-two, Josh Ritter (Cincinnati/Purcell Marian) going two-for-three and Evans and Ledford each going two-for-four. Evans had a team high two RBIšs as Rosato scored twice for the Green and White. Luke Ogden (Peebles/Peebles) picked up the loss for the Quakers as he pitched six innings, striking out one on the afternoon.

In the second game the Quaker bats came out hot as the team scored three runs in the top of the first inning when Brent Bird (Hilliard/Hilliard Darby) drove in Evans, Ritter knocked in Ledford and John Elsen (Fairfield/Fairfield) drove in Bird with an RBI single. Muskingum would rally back, scoring a run in the bottom of the first and then two more in the second, tying the game at three going into the third inning. In the top of the third, Aaron Lawson (Hebron/Lakewood) scored on a wild pitch and Ledford scored on a Ritter sacrifice fly as the visitors took a lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the contest.

The Quakers would score two more in the fourth inning when Martin scored on a wild pitch and Evans scored on a Ledford fielders choice. Muskingum would match the Quakers, as they scored two of their own in the fourth inning, cutting the visitor lead to two before the Quakers erupted with four runs in the sixth inning, highlighed by a Ritter two run single. The Muskies would score one more in their half of the sixth but it was too little, too late as the Green and White came out on top 11-6.

The Quakers pounded out 14 hits in the second game, four of which came from the bat of Evans as he went 4-for-5 from the plate. Ritter led the team with four RBIšs as Evans and Ledford each crossed the plate three times. Derrick Wellington (Unioto/Chillicothe) pitched the complete game victory for the Quakers, striking out three in the process.

The win brings the Quakers record to 12-10 on the year with their next game set for Saturday, April13 at Alliance, Ohio as the team takes on Mt. Union College with first pitch set for 1:00 p .m.