 |
 Brett Witczak homered in WSU's 9-8 loss at Toledo. |
April 3, 2007
TOLEDO, Ohio - Two solo home runs late in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader at Toledo (11-10) resulted in a 9-8, 10-inning setback for the Wayne State baseball team (16-9) at Scott Park. It marks the second time in as many opportunities the Warriors have taken a Division I Mid-American Conference team to extra innings.
Brett Witczak (Hudsonville, Mich.) led the Wayne State offense with two hits, including his second home run of the season, and three runs batted in. Tony Hines (Detroit, Mich./Mumford) also had a pair of hits, extending his hitting streak to seven games, and two RBI.
The Warriors grabbed an early 1-0 lead on three straight two-out base hits in the opening frame by Hines, Bob Schmidt (Oxford, Mich.), and Derek Ranck (Clarkston, Mich.).
Toledo tied the score in the bottom of the first on a WSU fielding error and a pair of base hits, but a double play ended any further threat and Wayne State was able to reclaim the lead in the second on an RBI double to right center by Witczak, scoring Ryan LaPensee (LaSalle, Ont./St. Thomas of Villanova).
The gusty winds blowing out to left center, problematic for most of the game, were especially troublesome for the Warrior outfielders in the bottom of the second, as two fly balls that may have been outs on an ordinary day instead went for hits and produced three Rocket runs, giving the home squad a 4-2 lead.
An RBI double in the third by Sean Boley put the Rockets ahead by three, but Witczak narrowed the Warriors' deficit to 5-4 in the fourth with a two-run homer to right, plating Caleb Dalman (Hudsonville, Mich.) who previously singled.
Following a double to right center by Ranck, Jon Weisman (Woodhaven, Mich.) singled up the middle and advanced to third on a fielding error by the Toledo centerfielder, bringing Ranck all the way around to score and tie the game, 5-5, in the fifth.
Weisman nearly got caught in a rundown after a passed ball, but was able to score as the Rockets were unable to apply the tag, giving Wayne State a 6-5 advantage.
The lead would be short-lived, however, as a two-run shot to left by Sean Boley put the Rockets ahead, 7-6, in the bottom of the fifth. Toledo nearly scored again later in the frame, but Hines and Dalman connected on a relay to cut down Jake Oester at home for WSU to stay within a run.
It proved to be a critical play, as Hines smacked a two-run double down the left field line in the top of the sixth to make it an 8-7 contest in favor of Wayne State.
With one out in the seventh, UT's Josh Colliver's solo home run to left center tied the score, and Drew Hoisington's blast to left in the eighth gave the Rockets a 9-8 victory.
Freshman David White (Taylor, Mich./Kennedy), making his first collegiate start, lasted 6.2 innings, while Yuki Minagawa (Troy, Mich.) took the loss (0-1) in relief.
