Baseball Falls to Ohio Wesleyan at Snowbird Classic, 6-1

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The Bridgewater State University baseball team dropped a 6-1 decision to Ohio Wesleyan University on Monday evening at the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida.

The Bears fall to 0-3 on the young season, while the Battling Bishops improve to 2-2.

Ohio Wesleyan pushed across five runs in the bottom of the second inning to break a scoreless tie. The Battling Bishops loaded the bases with nobody out on base hits by Canyon McWilliams (Shaker Heights, Ohio) and Austin Harper (Sycamore, Ohio) sandwiched around a Cole Antle (Grove City, Ohio) walk. Connor Shields (Columbus, Ohio) followed with a double scoring McWilliams and Antle with Harper crossing the plate due to a BSU throwing error. Shields would later score on a balk, while D.J. Neff (Grove City, Ohio) added an RBI single in the frame.

The Bears broke up the shutout bid with a run in the top of the sixth. Luke Tamulevich (Whitman, Mass.) led off the inning with a base hit, moved to second on a walk and to third on an error. Colin Josselyn (Hanson, Mass.) plated Tamulevich with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5-1.

Ohio Wesleyan answered with a run in the home half of the six to round out the scoring. C.J. Colson (Beachwood, Ohio) walked and McWilliams was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with nobody out. After a sacrifice bunt and a pop out, Colson raced home on a wild pitch to give the Battling Bishops a 6-1 lead.

Ryan Eberling (Dublin, Ohio) allowed just one unearned run over six innings to record his first collegiate win for Ohio Wesleyan. Eberling (1-0) scattered four hits, walked three and fanned six. Charlie Neel (Shaker Heights, Ohio) tossed three scoreless innings to pick up his first save of the season. Neel gave up two hits, walked two and struck out two. 

McWilliams went 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored to pace the Battling Bishops' nine-hit attack. Jon Erhard (Newark, Ohio) also finished with multiple hits for Ohio Wesleyan as he singled twice in four at bats and scored a run.

Tamulevich and Jonathan Livolsi (Bridgewater, Mass.) each singled and walked twice in four plate appearances to pace the Bridgewater State offense. Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) went 2-for-4 with a pair of base hits including the first of his collegiate career. 

Lucas DiTondo (Marshfield, Mass.) worked the first five innings on the mound for the Bears in his BSU debut. DiTondo (0-1) gave up five runs on eight hits and six walks with five strikeouts. Harrison Loud (South Kingstown, R.I) pitched effectively in relief as the lefthander allowed just one unearned run on one hit and two walks over three innings.

In upcoming action, the Bears take on The College of Wooster at the Snowbird Baseball Classic on Tuesday evening at six.