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Box Score

COLUMBUS – The Capital University football team held leads in the first and second quarters, but was unable to maintain the effort in the second half, bowing out 39-16 against 20th-ranked Baldwin Wallace in an Ohio Athletic Conference affair at Bernlohr Stadium.

The Crusaders (1-6 overall, 1-5 OAC) outgained the Yellow Jackets 141-132 in the first half and trailed just 10-9 through two quarters.

By the end of the contest, Baldwin Wallace (6-1, 5-1) outgained Capital 373-245, including a 308-71 margin on the ground.

"Our guys have to be prideful of the effort they showed in the first half, and really throughout the game," Capital coach Henry Stanford said. "I told them our attention goes to one thing at this point – our next opponent, Otterbein."

Junior quarterback Ryan Kremchek (Sylvania, Ohio) finished with 67 yards and a touchdown through the air, while freshman Taylor Wellbaum (Piqua, Ohio; at right) led Capital receivers with seven receptions for 79 yards and a score. Junior wide receiver Alex Coleman (Columbus, Ohio) tallied 132 all-purpose yards. Freshman running back Bo Hardy (Galloway, Ohio), who entered the weekend as the third-leading rusher in the conference, was held to 34 yards on 12 carries.

Defensively, junior All-OAC defensive back Domenic Hebebrand (Hinckley, Ohio) recorded a team-best 11 tackles, including two for a loss, while senior linebacker Tyler Dugan (Columbus, Ohio) contributed with nine stops and an interception.

"Our guys have grown closer together and they're holding each other accountable," Stanford said. "They're doing all the little things, we're just not coming out on the other side of the ledger. The young guys have grown … they've become young men. Those things are lost when you lose a game."

After going three-and-out on its opening possession, Capital recovered a fumble by Baldwin Wallace when sophomore Joseph Riley's punt deflected off a Yellow Jacket blocker. The Crusaders took advantage of the short field as Kremchek threw a middle screen to Hardy, who took it to the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown and a 6-0 Capital advantage.

Baldwin Wallace responded with a 10-play, 71-yard drive and a touchdown with 2:24 to go in the first quarter to take a 7-6 lead.

Sophomore kicker Travis Bosanac (Strongsville, Ohio) put Capital back ahead at 9-7 with a 27-yard field goal to cap a 13-play, 65-yard march with 11:30 on the clock in the second quarter.

The Yellow Jackets converted a 22-yard field goal with four seconds left to take a 10-9 lead into the locker room and went on to score 27 unanswered points, taking a 37-9 advantage with 6:04 to play.

"Baldwin Wallace made some adjustments in their formations on offense," Stanford said. "We didn't execute some of our coverages, especially in secondary support. BW made some adjustments, and they were successful."

On the ensuing drive, freshman quarterback Ryan McSweeney (Seven Hills, Ohio) completed consecutive passes of 20 or more yards, including a 43-yard strike to Wellbaum for a touchdown with five minutes to play.

"Ryan definitely showed the potential of being something special," Stanford said.

Capital resumes play next Saturday against cross-town rival Otterbein at 2 p.m. at Bernlohr Stadium. The Crusaders' 17-man senior class will be recognized prior to the contest in their final home game.