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 Brett Witczak had four hits in Sunday's 15-12 loss at Northwood. |
April 22, 2007
MIDLAND, Mich. - Despite scoring seven runs over the final two innings, the Wayne State baseball team (22-17, 11-9 GLIAC) could not completely erase its deficit in the fourth game of the weekend at Northwood (14-22, 4-15 GLIAC) and was defeated, 15-12, at Gerace Stadium.
Brett Witczak (Hudsonville, Mich.) went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Caleb Dalman (Hudsonville, Mich.) and Jon Weisman (Woodhaven, Mich.) had three hits apiece.
Included among Weisman's hits was a grand slam to left center in the first inning, his conference-leading 11th home run of the season. John Skaggs (Adrian, Mich.) immediately followed with a solo blast to left, giving the Warriors a 5-0 lead.
Northwood cut the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the inning on three hits, and added a run in the third.
The Timberwolves scored in each of the next three innings, but it was their nine-run fourth inning, which included a bases-loaded double by Champ Rankin, that proved to be the difference. Northwood totaled eight hits in the frame.
Clay Rosette's two-run homer to left made it a 14-5 game in the fifth and, after Witczak drove in a run with a base hit in the top of the sixth, Ben Shock countered with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning.
The Warriors attempted to close the gap in the final inning, plating six runs on six hits. An RBI double by Weisman, an RBI single by Dalman, and a two-run base hit by Ryan LaPensee (LaSalle, Ont./St. Thomas of Villanova) accounted for four runs with one out.
Two-out hits by Witczak and Derek Ranck (Clarkston, Mich.) accounted for the other two runs before Northwood sealed the win.
The two teams combined for 33 hits in the game.
Wayne State has non-conference home games coming up this week, a doubleheader against Tiffin on Tuesday and a nine-inning contest against Spring Arbor on Wednesday. First pitch for both days is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
