Dan Harwood

WOOSTER, Ohio – Hitter-friendly conditions prevailed on Thursday afternoon at Art Murray Field, only it was the guests doing the mashing at the dish, as visiting Case Western Reserve University went deep six times during a 21-10 win over the 11th-ranked College of Wooster.

CWRU (19-11) wasted little time getting on the board, with Jacob Kucia, the fourth batter of the game, lacing a two-run single up the middle, and the Spartans never looked back. Benjamin Stawicki doubled the early lead when he uncorked a two-run shot out to left field.

Junior Harry Witwer-Dukes made a fine diving catch to end the second inning, but Wooster (17-7) was unable to keep CWRU at bay come the third inning. Jake Ryan led off the frame with the first of his three long shots on the day, and the Spartans went on to tack on two more runs to make it a 7-2 game.

Wooster answered CWRU's two fourth-inning runs with a pair of its own. Senior Chandler Dippman went yard for the fourth time this season when he got ahold of Matt Levine's 2-1 offering. Prior to Dippman's blast, senior Jacob Stuursma roped a two-out double down the left field line. For Stuursma, that marked his second two-bagger of the contest, with his second-inning one extending the shortstop's hitting streak to 18 games.

CWRU's seven-run fifth broke the game wide open, as the Spartans led 16-4 at that point. Tyler Wypiszenski delivered the big knock with a two-run round-tripper.

Wooster had plenty of chances offensively with 14 hits in the game, but the Scots did strand 14 runners. Junior Nick Strausbaugh was one of the other bright spots for Wooster. The left-fielder blasted a lead off round-tripper in the seventh inning and earned another RBI in the eighth thanks to a bases-loaded walk.

While it was too little, too late, Wooster did have a three-spot in the ninth. Witwer-Dukes plated two of the runs via a two-out single.

Freshman Ben Gbur and junior Dan Harwood tallied three hits each for Wooster.

Freshman Colin Springer took the loss to fall to 1-1. The rookie allowed seven runs on seven hits in three innings.

In addition to Ryan, CWRU's five-through-seven hitters – Stawicki, Wypiszenski, and Casey McConihe – logged monster afternoons. The threesome combined to go 7-for-14 with 12 RBI.

Levine upped his record to 5-2. The right-hander allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings.

Next, Wooster (8-0 North Coast Athletic Conference) is slated to be at Allegheny College (15-12, 5-4 NCAC) for a noon doubleheader on Saturday. Additionally, Wooster's twin bill against DePauw University (17-11, 4-4 NCAC) has been rescheduled for Sunday, April 21 at noon at Art Murray Field.