CHILLICOTHE, OH – After two complete games of the 2025 NCAC Baseball Tournament, top-seeded Denison and third-seeded Wittenberg captured victories and will face off in game three at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 9. Second-seeded Wabash and fourth-seeded Wooster will meet up in an elimination game (game 4) at 1:30 p.m. on Friday. The winner of game 4 will take on the loser of game 3 at 5:00 p.m. for the right to play in the tournament title game against the winner of game three.
No. 1 DENISON 6, No. 4 WOOSTER 5 (12 inn.)
- It took 12 innings to separate them, but No. 1 Denison emerged with a 6-5 win over No. 4 Wooster in a thrilling opener to the 2025 NCAC Baseball Tournament.
- The Big Red struck first in the third inning when junior Alex Vasquez (Evanston, IL/Evanston Township) singled and came around to score on a two-run homer by sophomore Jack Lutte (Venetia, PA/Peters Township). Denison added another run in the fourth as junior Cade Nowik (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) tripled and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Jack Rollo (Chesterfield, MO/Mary Institute & Saint Louis Country Day School), giving the top seed a 3-0 lead.
- Wooster responded with a three-run fifth, highlighted by a two-run single from junior Ryan Kramer (Chicago, IL/Latin School of Chicago) and an RBI walk drawn by first-year Luke Rizzo (New York, NY/Poly Prep Country Day School). Denison briefly reclaimed the lead in the eighth, scoring twice on a pair of passed balls and a sacrifice fly, but the Fighting Scots kept pace. They tied the game in the seventh and added another run in the ninth to push the contest into extra innings.
- Both bullpens held strong through the 10th and 11th innings. In the bottom of the 12th, Denison finally broke through, as junior Erik Sundgren (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) led off with a double, and senior Jake Blozy (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) followed with a bunt single. After a fielder’s choice and a walk loaded the bases, junior Max Fishbein (Atlanta, GA/Druid Hills) delivered the walk-off hit to score Blozy and send the Big Red to the next round.
- Lutte finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a home run to lead the Denison offense, while Fishbein drove in the game-winner and reached base twice. Junior Will Rettig (Perrysburg, OH/Perrysburg) earned the win with six strong innings of relief, striking out nine and allowing just one earned run.
No. 3 WITTENBERG 14, No. 2 WABASH 2
- A late offensive surge lifted No. 3 Wittenberg past No. 2 Wabash, as the Tigers claimed a 14-2 game 2 victory.
- Following a lightning delay of more than three hours, both teams were scoreless through the first three innings. Wittenberg opened the scoring in the fourth with a solo home run from graduate student Luke Thomas (Tallmadge, OH/Tallmadge). Wabash responded in the fifth as junior Will McKinzie (Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg) delivered an RBI single to bring home sophomore Bradley Gilliam (Greenwood, IN/Center Grove), evening the score at 1-1.
- The Tigers regained the lead in the seventh after junior Quinton Applegate (Delaware, OH/Olentangy Berlin) scored on a fielder’s choice. Wabash tied it again in the bottom of the frame with sophomore Cade Ellspermann (Evansville, IN/Reitz Memorial) coming around to score on a sacrifice fly from junior Ben Henke (Jasper, IN/Jasper).
- Wittenberg pulled away in the eighth, sending five runs across the plate on a combination of timely hits and free passes. The momentum carried into the ninth, where the Tigers added seven more runs, highlighted by a three-run home run from senior Ryan Royer (Lake Bluff, IL/Lake Forest).
- Junior Aidan Nemunaiti (Perrysburg, OH/Ottawa Hills) paced Wittenberg with three hits, three runs scored, and two RBI, while Royer added three hits, three RBI, and his 13th home run of the season.
- On the mound, Wittenberg seniors Nate Floyd (Akron, OH/Copley) and Connor Schafer (Beavercreek, OH/Beavercreek) combined to limit Wabash to five hits, with Schafer earning the win in relief.