Less than 48 hours after playing a first-year program in Robert Morris-Springfield, the Wabash baseball team had a chance to prove itself against the number one team in the nation.
The Little Giant offense was held in check by the top-ranked College of Wooster Fighting Scots in a pair of shutouts. The Scots took game one at Art Murray Field 8-0 before claiming a 6-0 victory in Saturday's finale.
Wabash picked up only one hit in the first contest on a single through the left side of the infield by Shaun Rico. Travis Stirling was the only other Little Giant to reach base after an error by the Scots put him at first to lead off the sixth inning. Anthony Trapuzzano did not walk any of the Wabash batters while striking out 10 in the contest.
Chris Schmaltz answered Trapuzzano pitch for pitch in the early going. The Scots were held without a hit through the first two innings, scoring a run on an error and two ground outs to take a 1-0 lead. Two more unearned runs scored in the third when a two-out error kept the inning alive. Wooster added two home runs late in the game to pick up its 26th victory of the season.
The Scots went to 27-0 with another shutout against Wabash. Scott Hamilton and John Brauchie each had singles for the Little Giants, while Jake Thomas had the only extra-base hit with a double. Hamilton was the only Wabash player to reach base twice in the game, drawing the only walk issued by the Scots on the afternoon.
Dan Metz suffered his first loss of the season, pitching all six innings for Wabash. He four earned runs on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
Wabash (10-20-1) will play the undefeated Scots in a single nine-inning contest on Sunday.
Photos - (top left) Shaun Rico picks up the only hit for the Little Giants in game one.
(bottom right) Chris Schmaltz pitched well for Wabash before leaving game one with an injury.