Scots Taking 14-Game Win Streak Back from Florida

Sean Karpen

The College of Wooster, ranked No. 1 in the preseason by Collegiate Baseball, kicked off its 2008 season with a highly successful spring break trip to Port Charlotte, Fla., as the Fighting Scots return riding a 14-game winning streak and with a 16-1 overall record.

After picking up a 5-3 regional victory over Albion College in the season opener, Wooster split a doubleheader with North Coast Athletic Conference rival Ohio Wesleyan University, taking the first 4-2 and then dropping a 5-2 decision.

The Scots have not lost since, including four key triumphs over regional foes Heidelberg College (5-2), Anderson University (7-5 and 8-5), and Washington & Jefferson College (9-4). Wooster also took a twin bill from the University of Wis.-Stevens Point, ranked No. 7 in the preseason, as the Scots edged the Pointers 11-9 in 10 innings and then scored four in the bottom of the seventh, capped by a two-run single off the bat of Dan Skulina, for an 8-7 win and the sweep.

The most important games in Florida for Wooster came at the end of the trip, when the Scots made their 2008 NCAC East Division debut against Allegheny College. The Scots exploded out to a 10-1 lead in the teams’ first game, cruising to a 14-4 victory, and then prevailed in three close contests, 4-1, 4-0, and 7-6. In the finale, Wooster spotted Allegheny a 6-0 lead after one inning, but stormed back for the one-run win, including one tally in the sixth and two in the seventh, the last coming on a double steal by Skulina and John Warren.

Offensively, the Scots batted .348 as a team while averaging nearly 9.0 runs a game (8.9). Leading the way has been junior first baseman Sean Karpen with an average of exactly .500, collecting 27 hits in 54 at bats. He also paces the team in runs scored (21), RBI (20), walks (12), and stolen bases (8). Two others are batting above the .400 clip in Skulina and senior centerfielder Jake Sankal at .449 and .415, respectively. They both have six doubles, and Skulina has driven in 18.

Newcomers Matthew Pierce and Matt Groezinger have been nice additions, as they each hold .317 batting averages (13-for-41). Groezinger has swatted three home runs to lead the squad in that category, while senior right fielder Pat Christensen has eight extra-base hits – five doubles, one triple, and two homers – as part of a .311 average. Wooster’s other .300 hitter is senior second baseman Bubba O’Donnell (.302).

On the mound, the Scots have compiled a 3.63 staff ERA and they’ve limited the opposition to a .257 batting average while striking out 121 over 129.0 innings. Ace Adam Samson overcame one rough start to post a 2-0 record, 2.62 ERA, and 24 strikeouts in exactly 24 innings. The senior southpaw tossed a five-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts – the fourth double-digit strikeout game of his career – in the third game versus Allegheny.

Junior right-hander Anthony Trapuzzano won all three games he started while registering a 4.08 ERA and 18 strikeouts, compared to just four walks, in 17.2 innings. Fellow starters Justin McDowell, Matt DeGrand, and Matt Barnes also nabbed two wins apiece, while accumulating 2.84, 5.25, and 5.28 ERA’s, respectively.

Another key to Wooster’s success has been the performance of reliever Mark Miller. The hard-throwing sophomore right-hander went 3-0 with six saves in nine appearances. He only gave up one unearned run on 12 hits and three walks in 18.2 total innings, and struck out 16.