COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite conceding the game's first three runs, the Capital University baseball team stormed back with a vengeance, claiming a 13-3 run-rule victory after eight innings over the visiting Ohio Wesleyan University.
In the process of surpassing the Battling Bishops, Capital picked up their fifth win of the season, making them 5-8 on the year. Their win total has already surpassed last season's win total of four, showing vast improvements within the program this year.
At the dish, Capital slugged out 11 hits and made the most of seven Ohio Wesleyan errors that helped the Comets to the eventual win. Of the 11 hits, four players collected a multi-hit afternoon.
Cade Anderson led matters in the lead-off spot with three base hits, while
Logan White, pinch hitter
Tyler Knapp, and
Ryne McKinney all had two each.
EJ Santana and
Matt Anthony collected the other two hits.
McKinney's second hit of the day ended the game as, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning, he launched a moon shot of home run to left center field. The homer was his second of his young career and first grand slam on a collegiate ballfield.
On the mound,
Kyle Bowles got the start and lasted two innings, conceding two runs (one earned) and walking three. In relief of Bowles came freshman
Tyler Sickles, who earned his first career win on a collegiate mound by throwing 2.1 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out three hitters in the process.
Bryant Caporale – otherwise known as B-Cap – finished off the game, throwing 3.2 innings of one-hit baseball. He allowed just three base runners in his time on the bump.
HOW IT HAPPENED
With the team trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the third, Capital began their ascent.
Logan White reached with a single through the left side and moved over to third three batters later. On third, White was able to score on a sequence of erroneous play by the OWU shortstop.
Connor Feeney reached on a fielding error by the Bishop and then as the shortstop threw the ball away trying to make up for the error, White trotted home.
That would be just the beginning for Capital as four runs in the bottom of the fourth would prove to be the difference maker. Again, some erroneous defense by the Battling Bishops helped the Comets to three unearned runs in the inning. The big play came as
Logan White collected a two-RBI single up the middle that scored
Cole Callaghan and
Cade Anderson.
Cap tacked on another three runs in the bottom of the fifth as
Logan White hit a sac fly, scoring
Matt Anthony, and pinch hitter
Tyler Knapp delivered a two-RBI single that plated Callaghan and Anderson again.
From there, it would be the
Bryant Caporale show on the mound as the game cruised into the eighth inning with no further damage.
In that eighth inning, Cap had their eyes set on more at the plate. The Comets once again benefited by a defensive error that got the inning going as
Ethan Neal reached on a dropped fly ball by the second baseman.
Matt Anthony then reached after getting hit by a pitch. The pair moved around on a sac bunt before being joined by
Logan White on the basepaths. A wild pitch on White's walk allowed Neal to score from third.
Tyler Knapp then followed things up with a walk of his own, loading the bases up.
With ducks on the pond, and the Comets leading 9-3,
Ryne McKinney launched the first pitch he saw into the third-base dugout on the softball field at Clowson Field, sending Capital into the run-rule victory.
THE OPPONENT
Ohio Wesleyan collected just four hits, led by Luigi Russo who had two, one of which was a triple. OWU threw six pitchers in the game, with the decision ultimately landing on the second pitcher to throw, Michael Lipscomb.
UP NEXT
Capital is scheduled to play a doubleheader with Rose Hulman on Saturday, March 19th at Midland Baseball Complex in Cincinnati. Right now, the first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., but both teams will be keeping a watchful eye on the weather forecast that is currently calling for rain on Saturday. Stay tuned to athletics.capital.edu for any weather related changes.
