MARIETTA, Ohio – Third-seeded Baldwin Wallace University got an early jump on second-seeded Otterbein University in the second game of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament at Don and Sue Schaly Field at Pioneer Park Thursday (May 12) afternoon. Couple that with an excellent pitching performance from the Yellow Jackets' Dawson Gabe, Baldwin Wallace would cruise to victory, 10-2.
 
The Yellow Jackets (31-9) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning when junior first baseman Luke Vonderhaar hammered a two-run home run off of Cardinal starter Travis Engard. Drew Wilson followed with a triple and scored on a Sean Kolenich sacrifice fly.

"Otterbein is a good team. Obviously, they beat Marietta twice. They are as good as anybody we faced," Baldwin Wallace head coach Brian Harrison said. "Vonderhaar's two-run homer just changed the game for their starter. Once we put up three in the first, it was sit back, grab a sandwich, and watch Dawson go to work. It was awesome."
 
Baldwin Wallace the put up four more runs in the top of the second. Kolenich drove in two of those runs with a single and Bryce Holt brought home a run with a single to center field.
 
Gabe (4-3) only got into trouble in two of the eight innings he worked. Otterbein was able to load the bases without the benefit of a hit in the fourth and would eventually plate a run on a bases loaded walk.

"It's pretty simple. Pitching, defense, base running, timely hitting," Harrison said. "We have seniors we trust this time of the year. We are a player lead team and we're going to stay out of their way and let them play."
 
The other Otterbein run was scored in the seventh on a solo homer down the left field line from Zach Franz. The BW junior right-handed pitcher allowed just those two runs on six hits, and totaled 11 strikeouts. Wilson came in to pitch the final inning for the Yellow Jackets and retired the side in order.
 
Wilson went 2-for-4 on the day with three runs, two RBIs, and a triple. Junior designated hitter Bryce Holt went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
 
Brayden Carter went 3-for-4 with a walk and Franz went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run.
 
Baldwin Wallace will play top-seeded Marietta College Friday (May 13) in the winner's bracket portion of the tournament. The game is set to begin at 11:00 a.m.
 
Following the Marietta/BW game, Otterbein will square off against Mount Union in an elimination game. First pitch from Pioneer Park is slated for 2:00 p.m.