GOSHEN, Ind. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team gave head coach Sam Riggleman his 999th career win with an 11-5 victory over Goshen College in game one of Friday's Crossroads League doubleheader, but the Maple Leafs spoiled his first attempt at number 1,000 with a 2-1 walk-off win in the nightcap.
In the opener, Goshen (8-36, 6-20 Crossroads League) led 5-2 through three innings, but the Cougars would tally nine unanswered runs over the next three innings. Chris Wegrzyn started the scoring spree with an RBI triple in the fourth inning, and would cross the plate on a groundout by Tyler Baker. Jeremiah Johnson also added an RBI single, and would score on a wild pitch, in the frame.
JP Maracani highlighted the three-run fifth inning with a two-RBI triple, and Wegrzyn capped the scoring with a double in the sixth driving in Nick Harris and Francisco Ondina.
Andrew Wright and Drew Weston combined to throw four innings of shutout relief. Wright earned the first win of his collegiate career after working 2.2 innings out the bullpen. Weston entered with the bases full of Maple Leafs in the sixth, but induced a fly out to escape the jam, and slammed the door shut in the seventh, retiring the side in order.
Four different Cougars collected two hits in the game, including Wegrzyn, who finished with three RBIs and a run scored.
After combining for 16 runs and 20 hits in the first game, neither team was able to get much going offensively in game two.
Spring Arbor threatened early, loading the bases in the first inning with two outs. However, the Maple Leafs managed to escape unscathed. The Cougars had another opportunity in the fourth when Jonathan Newman and Jack Driscoll reached with only one out, but GC's Travis Grimm wiggled his way out of trouble once again.
Sam Memmelaar held Goshen hitless through the first three frames, but the Leafs were finally able to get their first base runner of the game in the fourth inning. Cody McCoy reached on an SAU error and, after advancing to third on a wild pitch, would score on a two-out single by Vincent Caschera to put the home team on top.
The Cougars would not go away without a fight though. Mitchel Patterson and Baker singled in the seventh inning before Newman looped a two-out hit into right field to plate Patterson and even the game at 1-1. However, in the home half of the inning, after getting the leadoff batter on and advancing him to second on a sacrifice bunt, GC's Ryan Hartig ripped a single down the right field line to allow the Leafs to walk off winners.
Wegrzyn continued his torrid hitting, collecting two of SAU's six hits – both doubles. Wegrzyn has now hit safely in six straight games and nine of the last 10.
Despite the strong outing, Memmelaar suffered the loss. The left-hander went 6.1 innings allowing both runs on five hits while striking out four.
Spring Arbor (25-14, 17-9 Crossroads League) will wrap up the regular season when it hosts Marian University on Tuesday, Apr. 28 at 2 p.m.
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