The Shawnee State Bears (8-8) were unable to finish their comeback and eventually fell to non-conference foe Northwestern Ohio University Racers (7-3), 6-5.
The Bears never lead in the game as Northwestern raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning as the Racers got three hits in the inning and also had two batters get hit and a wild pitch to help them quickly jump on the Bears.
Northwestern Ohio was not done as they added another run in the top of the second extending their lead to 4-0. The inning was highlighted by a walk, a single up the middle another hit batter and a sacrifice fly ball to center field.
Doug Burchfield (Troy, OH) started the game for Shawnee State. Burchfield (1-2) threw two innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits.
Shawnee State got the run back in the bottom half of the inning. Starting catcher, Tyler Weisel (Louisville, OH) who went 1-for-3 in the game, doubled down the left field line advancing Xander Uxley (Pickerington, OH) after he reached on an error. Ryan Burnett (Bellevue, OH) then grounded out to shortstop scoring Uxley from third, pulling the Bears within 4-1.
Pitcher Brandon Boyd (Flatwoods, KY) came in and threw a strong inning as he gave up two hits with no runs while getting out of a jam with two runners in scoring position. Boyd got the last two batters to fly out to shortstop Adam Wamsley (Wheelersburg, OH) and a ground out to Cody Spires (Lancaster, OH )
The Racers however would score one run in the top of the fourth and fifth innings extending their lead to 6-1 as Shawnee State continued to go to the bullpen. The Bears threw a total of seven pitchers throughout the nine inning game.
Down 6-1, Shawnee State had no other choice but the claw their way back into the ballgame as they were able to score a run in the bottom of the fifth. Burnett started the inning with a bunt down the third base line for an infield single and Spires reached on an error from the second baseman. Wamsley then got an RBI after hitting into a 6-4-3 double play .
Down 6-2, the combination of Jordan Williams (Uniontown, OH), Chance Therrien (Washington Court House, OH), Spires and Wamsley on the mound shut down Northwestern Ohio. The four pitchers combined for allowing only two hits no runs and only one walk.
The Bears found themselves down 6-2 in the bottom of the eight and needed the middle of their lineup to wake up. That was exactly what Shawnee State did as Wamsley singled to the left side and Cody Morrison (Spring, TX) doubled to right center. Colin Kiem (Clinton, OH), who went 2-for-4 with two RBI's, singled to left field scoring Wamsley and Morrison. The hit cut the Racers lead to 6-4.
After shutting Northwestern Ohio out in the top of the ninth, the Bears went into the bottom of the ninth needing two runs to tie. Weisel started the inning with a key walk and Quentin Everman (Galloway, OH) followed it with one of his own. After back-to-back strikeouts, Wamsley hit a sharp ground ball to the second baseman that went through his legs, scoring a run and cutting the lead to 6-5.
With Everman 90-feet away from tying the game, Morrison who doubled his last time at the plate chased a high fastball striking out ending the game.
Shawnee State will return to action this Saturday, Mar. 3 in which the Bears will open conference play against St. Catharine College on the road. The Bears will play a double-hears on Saturday and finish the three-game series on Sunday. Shawnee State will then travel down to Central, South Carolina and Glenville, West Virginia to play Southern Wesleyan University and Glenville State College on their spring break trip. The Bears will return to Branch Rickey Park on March 9th against Campbellsville University.
