Box Score AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Freshman Brad Wilson (Alexandria, Ohio) allowed one run in seven innings and classmate Colin Kaucher (Toledo, Ohio) delivered a key two-run single in the ninth as Ohio Dominican's baseball team outlasted Saint Joseph's 7-4 Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers (8-2-1) had a 5-0 lead cut to one run entering the top of the ninth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Kaucher sent an 0-1 pitch into right field for a basehit, bringing home junior Tony Evans (Medway, Ohio) and sophomore Cody Paterniti (Chardon, Ohio) to rebuild a three-run cushion.
The Pumas (7-8) then put two runners on base with one out in the bottom half of the inning, but sophomore Jeff Paul (St. Henry, Ohio) earned his first save by inducing a pair of fly outs to right field to end it.
The two teams combined for 28 hits, including eight doubles and two triples.
The first four batters in ODU's lineup each notched two hits, including Paterniti, freshman Genesis Hillard (Cincinnati, Ohio), Evans and sophomore Lee Sponseller (Mason, Ohio). Senior Jacob Horsley (Thornville, Ohio) tallied three hits as well.
Wilson, meanwhile, improved to 3-0 on the spring. He allowed nine hits but just the one run, and struck out six without walking a batter. This season, he has a 0.47 ERA and has struck out 21 batters while walking just three, and he's also allowed just 13 hits.
ODU scored two runs in the first inning, as Evans ripped an RBI triple to center field to score Paterniti and Sponseller followed with an RBI single to center.
The Panthers scored single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings to go in front 5-0. Horsley scored on a wild pitch in the fourth, senior Colman Fitzgerald (Centerville, Ohio) hit an RBI double in the sixth, and Sponseller added an RBI double in the seventh.
The Pumas cracked the scoring column in the bottom of the seventh with a single run, then plated three more in the eighth to draw within 5-4.
Ohio Dominican concludes its trip to Florida with a 9:30 a.m. contest against St. Ambrose.
Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu
