Karpen's Bat Leads Scots Past Kenyon 10-5, 15-6

Sean Karpen

WOOSTER, Ohio – Sean Karpen (Venetia, Pa. / Peters Twp.) combined to go 6-for-8 with a double, two home runs, and eight RBI, leading The College of Wooster to a doubleheader sweep of Kenyon College for the second time in as many days at Art Murray Field, with Sunday’s scores being 10-5 and 15-6.

The Fighting Scots, winners of the North Coast Athletic Conference East Division every year since the league adopted the format in 2001, gained complete control of the division again with the four wins over the weekend. They’re now 8-0 halfway through the divisional schedule, and 21-2 overall, and their nearest competition is Kenyon, which is at 11-9 overall and 3-5 in the NCAC.

Sunday’s first game saw the Lords take a 1-0 lead after one inning, however, Wooster would go on to score a run in every inning except for one the rest of the day. Following a two-out, two-run single by Shane Swearingen (Hilliard, Ohio / Bishop Watterson) in the second, the Scots broke it open with a five-run third.

Wooster loaded the bases without an out that frame and then Karpen doubled in a pair. After a walk, Pat Christensen (Cincinnati, Ohio / Sycamore) singled for another run. Kenyon was able to next induce a run-scoring double play, but then the Scots pushed the lead to 7-1 on an RBI single by Matt Pierce (Oklahoma City, Okla. / Casady School).

In the fourth, a Karpen two-out single gave Wooster another tally. The Lords tried to get back within striking distance, plating two in the fifth via Alex Cultice’s hit, which knocked Scot starter Matt Barnes (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Langley) out of the game. Reliever John Warren (New Castle, Pa. / Union Area) prevented further damage, forcing an infield pop-up and a double play to keep Wooster comfortably ahead at 8-3.

The Scots tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth, eventually closing out the five-run victory.

Barnes improved to 4-1, yielding three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out one, and Warren earned his first career save. The only damage against him was a Will Smith two-run homer in the seventh, as Warren gave up three hits overall and struck out two without a walk during 3.0 innings of work.

Dan White took the loss (2-1), going the first four innings, in which he allowed eight runs on seven hits and five walks.

Wooster put the nightcap away early. Karpen hit a solo home run in the first and then the Scots exploded for four runs in the second and seven in the third. Matthew Johnson (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) came up with key hits during both frames – a two-run single up the middle in the second and a three-run double to left-center in the third. A few batters later, Karpen delivered the knockout blow – a two-run homer to left-center – and before the inning was over, Wooster added one more for a 12-2 cushion.

Despite a four-run fifth inning, the closest Kenyon got was 14-6, as the Scots cruised to the nine-run win.

Tanner Hall (Oil City, Pa. / Oil City) was the winning pitcher, moving to 2-0. He set down four on strikes during 3.0 innings, and gave up three hits and a walk, all in that four-run fifth.

Lord starter Andy Hoffman did not get out of the third inning, as six runs on six hits were credited to him en route to the loss (1-3).

In addition to Karpen’s big day, Christensen was 4-for-5 with four runs and two RBI over the two games, Johnson was 2-for-2 with four runs scored and five RBI as he also reached via three walks, and Swearingen contributed a 2-for-5, four-RBI outing. Also with two-hit days were Jake Sankal (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor), Bubba O’Donnell (Cincinnati, Ohio / St. Xavier), Dan Skulina (Hinckley, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit), and Pierce, as they were 2-for-6, 2-for-4, 2-for-4, and 2-for-5, respectively.

Pacing Kenyon’s offense was Scott Burdette. He went 4-for-4 with three runs during the opener and notched one more hit in game two for a 5-for-7 day.

Next on Wooster’s slate is a non-conference match-up at Otterbein College (9-3) Tuesday at 4 p.m.