Oct. 17, 2007

DETROIT - The Wayne State baseball team opened its annual Green and Gold World Series on Wednesday, with the Green squad winning the first game, 3-2.

Team Green, the home team coached by Kyle Hill, took an early lead when Matthew Williams (Detroit, Mich./Royal Oak Shrine) led off the game with a walk, stole second and third, and came into score on a sacrifice fly by Brett Witczak (Hudsonville, Mich.).

In the top of the fifth, Team Gold, coached by Mark Henkel, tied the game at 1-1 after Ben Magsig (Okemos, Mich.) walked and eventually scored on a Derek Ranck (Clarkston, Mich.) RBI single.

The Green squad regained the advantage in the bottom of the frame, however, when Matt Cunningham (Gregory, Mich./Chelsea) doubled and scored on an errant pickoff attempt.

Cunningham, who finished 3-for-4 on the day, would produce another run for Team Green, as a base hit in the bottom of the sixth plated Witczak who singled earlier in the inning.

Team Gold made a late rally, as Alex Trojan (Fenton, Mich./Hartland) led off the seventh inning with a double and scored on a groundout by Ranck, but could not complete the comeback.

Tyler Loehr (Brighton, Mich.) pitched four shutout innings for Green, giving up five hits and walking a pair. David White (Taylor, Mich./Kennedy) got the victory, working the final three innings and surrendering two runs on four hits and a walk.

Daniel Baird (Brampton, Ont./Bramalea) lasted four innings for Team Gold, allowing three hits, a run and four walks while striking out three. Brett Shankin (Washington, Mich./Romeo), who gave up two runs on four hits in three innings, took the loss.

Game two of the series will be played on Thursday, Oct. 18.