By: Sean Neidig, sports information graduate assistant

DELAWARE, Ohio – Capital University Baseball rescheduled Wednesday's and Thursday's games against Ohio Wesleyan University to Tuesday afternoon and clearly the Crusaders were ready to play. The Purple and White exploded for 19 runs in the first game and scored seven in the second, although the team was not able to sweep the day.

Game 1 – Capital 19, Ohio Wesleyan 0

In Game One of Tuesday's doubleheader, the Crusaders showed the whole package in a 19-0 win. It was the highest-scoring game for Capital so far this season and the first shutout for the team as well.

Capital jumped on OWU pitcher Kevin Zullo in the first inning for three runs. Alexander Smith singled and stole second and Capital loaded the bases after Tyler Osbourne was hit by a pitch and Shane Lyons worked a walk. With two outs, Daniel Walters put the Crusaders ahead with a two-run single up the middle and Drew Ellis connected on a single of his own to make the score 3-0.

Capital scored another run in the third inning but it was not until the sixth, seventh and eighth innings that the Crusaders really got the bats going. Ellis led off the sixth with a single to center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Zackary Ary followed that with an RBI single and Beau Otto doubled Ary home a batter later to put Capital ahead 6-0. The Crusaders then loaded the bases and Otto scored on a wild pitch. A Lyons RBI single and a two-run double from Ellis pushed Capital's sixth-inning total to six and the Crusaders led 10-0 two-thirds of the way through the game.

Capital came right back in the seventh with four runs and added five in the eighth. Ryan Kirk earned the honor of launching the first Capital home run of the year, a shot down the line in left.

In all, the Crusaders scored the 19 runs on 19 hits and 11 players recorded at least one base knock. Ellis led the team with four hits in four at-bats and brought three runs home. Otto, Smith, Connor Hopkins, Connor Richardson and Ary all recorded two hits.

On the mound, Joseph Borkey pitched a gem, allowing only three hits in six innings and striking out seven. Jared Heidecker and Scott Gutstein also pitched for Capital and combined for three innings of two-hit, scoreless ball.

Game 2 – Capital 7, Ohio Wesleyan 8

In the second game of the day, it was the Bishops who got off to a hot start with four runs in the second inning. Capital came right back though and took the lead in the eighth inning and led 7-6 going into the bottom of the ninth.

OWU singled to start the last frame and then had runners on second and first after a bunt that advanced the runner. Both runners were advanced after a sacrifice bunt. The Crusaders intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases and back-to-back RBI singles gave the Bishops the walk-off win.

After OWU took a 4-0 lead in the second, Capital tied the game at four in the top of the third. Otto got Capital on the board with an RBI single to center and then a two-run single up the middle from Richardson made it a one-run game. Lyons tied the game with a double that scored Richardson.

The Bishops regained the lead in the bottom of the third and scored another run in the fifth but Capital again tied the game in the sixth. The Crusaders gained the lead when Ellis scored on a wild pitch but couldn't hold it in the ninth.

Ellis led the Crusaders with three more hits and each of Lyons and Ary had two hits. Richardson had a team-high two RBIs. Matt Deskins went 2-for-4 for the Bishops and brought four runs home.

Capital now sits at 7-4 this season heading into a weekend with games against Denison University and Transylvania University. Capital will play Transylvania at noon on Saturday and take on Denison at 4 p.m. Both of those games will be played at Transylvania.