WSU-LC sweeps doubleheader

CELINA - A week off of action because of inclement weather didn't hurt the offense from the Wright State University-Lake Campus baseball team as the Lakers swept Ohio University-Chillicothe in a Sunday afternoon doubleheader at Montgomery Field.

The Lakers jumped out early in the first game by scoring five times in the bottom of the first inning and beat the Hilltoppers 6-2. Chillicothe returned the favor early in game two, but the Lakers rebounded and rolled to a 13-5 win. WSU-LC is 9-4 overall and 6-2 in the Ohio Regional Collegiate Conference.

WSU-LC batters combined to go 27-for-63 in the twinbill (.429 average), including a 16-hit attack in the nightcap.

"We had a whole week off and we took advantage of it," said Lakers head coach Rob Howell. "We hit in the cold. Came out every day and swung the bats, working a lot on being selective at the plate. We hit the ball when we needed to."

The Lakers will get to know the team from Ohio State-Lima this week, weather permitting, as the teams meet in Lima for a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday before the Barons come down to Montgomery Field for single seven-innings games on Wednesday and Thursday. The start times both days is 7 p.m.
WSU-LC 6, OU-Chillicothe 2

The Lakers wasted no time in gaining an advantage in the first game. Derek Waterman (Celina) singled with one out and later advanced to second base on an errant pickoff throw before Ethan Bruns (Versailles) belted a home run to rightfield off Zach Kingsolver. Kyle Markle (Celina) followed with a triple and scored on Jon Edwards' RBI single. After Tyler Zimmerman singled, both runners scored on another errant pickoff attempt that allowed Zimmerman to go from first to home.

That was all the run support Trevor Burch needed to earn the win. Burch allowed two runs in the third inning but held the Hilltoppers to just two hits and a walk over the final four innings.

"You throw strikes and play good defense, you win games," said Howell. "(Burch) is consistent at it. He's one of our leaders, our captain. He wanted the ball today."

Waterman and Edwards each collected two hits in the game, with Edwards scoring twice.
WSU-LC 13, OU-Chillicothe 5

The Hilltoppers broke out offensively early in game two, collecting three runs off Lakers' starter Eric Schmackers (Coldwater) in the first and two more in the third.

The Lakers cut into the deficit over their first three at-bats, scoring two in the first and two more in the third.

The fourth inning proved to be the big one for the Lake Campus. The Lakers started with six straight hits as Dillon Bell (single), Waterman (single), Bruns (RBI double), Markle (two-run double), Edwards (single) and Zimmerman (triple) produced four runs for an 8-4 lead.

"We knew it was a matter of time (before the hitting picked up) and not to get excited," said Howell. "We saw some things early we were doing on the mound (like) leaving balls up. When we started attacking the zone, pitching wise, we started shutting down the offense on (Chillicothe's side) and that momentum carried over to our offensive side."

The Lakers added five more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as several Hilltopper errors resulted in unearned runs. Kyle Winkle had an RBI single while Bell tripled in the final two runs.

Jacob Burk, who relieved Preston Shay in the fourth and got out of a bases-loaded jam, allowed only a hit and also hit a batter over the final 3 1/3 innings to get the win, striking out three Chillicothe batters.

Bell, Bruns and Winkle each picked up three hits and Bruns drove in three runs. Waterman, Markle and Edwards each collected two hits.