Baseball sweeps doubleheader vs. Wilmington in conference opener

The Muskingum baseball team swept Wilmington in its conference opener on Saturday evening by the final scores of 5-4 and 14-11 at the Mose Morehead Field.

The Basics 

• Records: Muskingum (8-7 overall, 2-0 Ohio Athletic Conference), Wilmington (8-9 overall, 0-2 Ohio Athletic Conference)
• Location: New Concord, Ohio - Mose Morehead Field 

Inside the Numbers- Game One:

• Muskingum scored five runs on ten hits.
• Junior Michael Pagano paced the Muskies by going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI.
• Freshman Caden Mumaw went 2-for-4 at the dish, which included a double, and team-high two RBIs.
• Junior's Ben Van Wey and Marc Ibarra each notched one RBI and a double for Muskingum.
• Junior Evan Hinds pitched in 7.2 innings, allowing four runs, no walks, and posted a season-high eight strikeouts.
• Senior relief pitcher Kyle Schmitgen threw for 1.1 innings, recorded two strikeouts, and collected his second save of the season.

Inside the Numbers- Game Two:

• Muskingum scored 14 runs on 16 hits
• Pagano had another solid game as he went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBIs.
• Ibarra went 3-for-5 at the dish, which included a double and a homer, with one run scored and a team-high four RBIs.
• Senior Brad Donathan and Mumaw also went 3-for-5 at the plate with one run scored each. Donathan also notched three RBIs.
• Van Wey chipped in three runs scored and two RBIs.
• Freshman pitcher Nolan Fernandes registered the win from the mound, allowing two runs, two walks in 7.0 innings of work, and recorded four strikeouts.

Game Highlights

The Muskies were first to notch a run in game one as Ibarra doubled to left field to bring in Pagano in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. The Quakers collected two runs in the top of the fourth to take the 2-1 advantage. The Muskies' then plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth and two in the bottom of the seventh to regain the advantage, 5-2. Wilmington did not go away as they produced two runs in the top of the eighth to get within one, 5-4. The Muskies' held tight as they secured their first OAC victory by the final score of 5-4.

Muskingum started game two with an RBI single by Pagano in the bottom of the first inning to hold an early 1-0 lead. The Quakers plated two runs in the top of the second to take the 2-1 advantage. Wilmington's lead did not last long as Ibarra doubled down the left line to bring Van Wey in for the Muskies second run to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third. Muskingum then exploded in the bottom of the fourth as they posted seven runs to take a convincing 9-2 lead. Muskingum notched a run in the bottom of the fifth and sixth to push its lead to 11-2. An RBI single by Wilmington made it an 11-3 game in the top of the eighth. Ibarra smashed a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to increase the lead 14-3. The Quakers busted out eight runs in the top of the ninth, but the Muskies held steady, earning the 14-11 win to sweep Wilmington in OAC play.

Up Next

• Muskingum will continue home play as they take on Bethany (W.V.) in a doubleheader on Sunday, March 25 at the Mose Morehead Field. Game times are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.