No. 1 Ranked Scots Look to Continue Best Start in School History

Adam Samson

The College of Wooster, which improved 14 spots from No. 15 in the preseason to a No. 1 ranking in the American Baseball Coaches’ Association/Collegiate Baseball NCAA Div. III poll after going a perfect 15-0 during its spring break trip to Port Charlotte, Fla., will look to extend its hot start this week with one non-league game, followed by a four-game North Coast Athletic Conference East Division series. On Thursday, March 29, the Fighting Scots will travel to fellow northeastern Ohio school Baldwin-Wallace College (6-6). Opening pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m. Wooster owns an all-time record of 59-46 against the Yellow Jackets, including victories the last three meetings (13-3 in 2006, 6-4 in 2005, 8-1 in 2004). This weekend, March 31-April 1, the Scots will be in Gambier, Ohio, for back-to-back doubleheaders with host Kenyon College (11-5, 0-0 NCAC East), starting at 1 p.m. each day. Wooster improved its record to 139-26 over the Lords after sweeping them last year (6-5, 9-0, 10-4, 12-2) when they were ranked No. 28.

Spring Break Recap: The Scots are off to their best start in school history, returning from the spring break trip to Port Charlotte, Fla., with a perfect 15-0 record, capped by a four-game sweep of NCAC East Division rival Allegheny College. Wooster’s previous longest win streak to open a season came in 1995, when it took the first 11 en route to an NCAC title and 32-9 record.

Highlighting the Scots’ opening stretch were victories over No. 5 University of Wis.-Stevens Point on March 17 (8-7 in 11 innings), No. 24 Manchester College on March 20 (13-2), and No. 27 Rowan University on March 14 (7-5). Most recently, Wooster took its first steps toward a possible fourth consecutive NCAC championship, sweeping two doubleheaders from the Gators, 7-2 and 12-4 March 23, and 9-3 and 5-0 March 24.

The Scots early success has been paved by the pitching staff, as they own a team ERA of 2.23 and are averaging 7.2 hits allowed and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Junior lefty Adam Samson (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) won two of his three starts while posting a 1.35 ERA and 34 strikeouts over 20.0 innings pitched. Sophomore right-hander Anthony Trapuzzano (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Canevin Catholic) is 4-0, improving his career record to 11-1, with a 2.25 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 24.0 innings.

Wooster’s third and fourth starters were both freshman – Matt Barnes (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Langley) and Matt DeGrand (Stow, Ohio / St. Vincent-St. Mary). Barnes won three games during five appearances (3-0), posting a 2.45 ERA and 28 strikeouts in just 18.1 innings, while DeGrand was 2-0 with a 3.45 ERA. Another significant contributor hails from the first-year class in Mark Miller (Convoy, Ohio / Crestview), as the right-hander has not given up a run and yielded just two hits over the first 14.0 innings of his career, while compiling a 3-0 record and 17 strikeouts.

Offensively, the Scots are scoring just under 9.0 runs a game (8.8). Three indviduals are batting above .400, led by sophomore outfielder/catcher Oliver Enos (Charlottesville, Va. / Covenant School). He’s at an even .500, having gone 23-for-46 with three doubles and 15 RBI, while juniors Jake Sankal (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) and Sean Karpen (Venetia, Pa. / Peters Township) are at .449 (22-for-49) and .438 (14-for-32), respectively. Sankal is leading Wooster in both home runs (5) and RBI (19).

Others of note include junior third baseman Dan Skulina (Strongsville, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit), junior right fielder Pat Christensen (Cincinnati, Ohio / Sycamore), senior first baseman Sheldon Steiner (Dalton, Ohio / Central Christian), and sophomore shortstop John Quimby (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Allegheny). Skulina has a team-high seven doubles as part of a .362 batting average (17-for-47), Christensen is hitting .328 (19-for-58) with five two-baggers, three home runs, and 12 RBI, and Steiner is also above the .300 mark (.306; 15-for-49) while reaching another eight times via hit by pitches. Quimby has been walked a squad-best 13 times, to go with a .245 average (12-for-49), four homers, and 16 RBI.

NCAC Player of the Week: For his effort last week, junior Adam Samson (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) was selected as the North Coast Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week. He struck out a career-high 14, leading the Scots to a 7-2 victory in the opening game of the Allegheny series. Samson went all seven innings, yielding seven hits and one walk, while the 14 strikeouts tied for the third-most in a single-game in Wooster history. He also pitched one inning of the 13-2 win over Manchester, retiring all three batters he faced, including one strikeout.