Late Inning Heroics Help Bobcats Split With Ashland JV

The Bobcats traveled to Ashland University where they split with the Eagles JV squad dropping game one 13-3 and winning game two 8-6 in extra innings. Torrey Roper led the offense with 4 hits including his conference leading 8th long ball, a three run shot in the 1st inning of game 2 to put B&SC up 3-0. Jackson Homage had 3 hits on the day including two doubles in game 2, and John Costella had 3 base hits. 

Game 1
The Bobcats jumped out to an early 1 nothing lead when Dominic Daring scored on a Dylan Cutler base hit in the first, but the Eagles would battle right back for two of their own in the bottom of the second off of a 2 out home run making the score 2-1 Eagles. A Torrey Roper 2 RBI single in the top of the third would give the Bobcats the lead right back, but a rough day out of the Bobcat pen would see the Eagles plate 9 in the 4th and another in the fifth to finish this game early with the 13-3 run rule. Tylor Wolfe takes the loss allowing 6 runs on 3 hits and 6 walks while striking out 3. 

Game 2
The Bobcats once again would play from ahead as a pair of first inning base hits by Logan Wunderle and John Costella would set the table for the Roper 3 run round tripper to put B&SC up 3-0. Three singles in the bottom of the inning would see the Eagles plate one of their own and cut the Bobcat advantage to 3-1. A pair of hit batsmen and a walk, paired with two doubles would score 4 more for the Eagles in the bottom of the 3rd giving them a 5-3 lead. A walk and another Eagle double in the 4th would push across another run making the lead 6-3 before Jagger Jefferis entered in relief of starter Adam Wibert. Wibert would throw the first two and two thirds innings allowing 6 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4. The lefty Jefferis would enter for the lefty lefty matchup and get the job done by getting the Ashland hitter to ground out to Costella at third to end the inning. Jefferis would dazzle in the 5th striking out the side on 14 pitches, the last pair of batters coming on six straight strikes. As they have done time and time again this season the Bobcats would answer late with a pair of two out singles by Costella and Tylor Wolfe coming around to score on the Dylan Cutler double to right center to make the score 6-5 going into the bottom of the 5th. Jefferis would retire the side in order once again with a strikeout and a double play ball to Homage at shortstop to end his day. The left hander from Barnesville, OH would look sharp once again retiring all seven of the hitters he faced on 25 pitches striking out 4 along the way. Pinch hitter Riley Day would lace a single into right field to start the 6th for the Bobcats and a pair of errant throws would score him from first to tie the ball game up at 6. Brad Wolfe would come out of the Bobcat pen and throw a clean inning with a little help from Daring as he threw a missile from just in front of the visitor dugout to Homage at the second base bag to erase an Eagle attempting to take second after an overthrow of first base. The Bobcats would go in order in the top of the 7th and Wolfe would retire the Eagles just as quickly to send the game to extras. Daring would reach with one out on a fielding error by the Eagles, and Gabe Morgan would pick a huge moment to record his first college hit with a line drive single into right field. The Morgan base hit would  put runners on first and second for Jackson Homage at the top of the Bobcat lineup. Homage would come up clutch with an RBI double to put the Bobcats up 7-6, and Logan Wunderle would fly out to deep left field to score Morgan from third to make the lead 8-6. Brad Wolfe would slam the door shut in the 8th to secure the win. Wolfe would finish with the win having thrown 3 scoreless innings out of the Bobcat bullpen allowing one hit while striking out 3. The split ends a 7 game winning streak for the Bobcats, but improves their record to 19-7 on the year. They will be back on the road Wednesday at Lourdes College in another non-conference double header.