Box Score (LATROBE, Pa.) – The Thomas More College baseball team scored five runs in the top of the first inning today (Sunday, March 26, 2017) and never looked back as it defeated Saint Vincent College, 18-4, in the final game of a three-game Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) series at Bearcat Ballpark in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
With the win, the Saints win the series and improve to 9-4 overall and 2-1 in the PAC. With the loss, the Bearcats fall to 5-9 overall and 1-2 in the PAC.
The Saints scored five runs in the first, including an inside the park grand slam home run by senior right fielder Ben Kenning (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder), and then scored three in the third, four in the fifth, one in the sixth, two in the seventh and three in the ninth, while holding Saint Vincent to one run in the second and three in the sixth for the 18-4 victory. Sophomore pitcher Ethan Kramer (Sunman, Ind./East Central) earned the win as he pitched six and two-third innings and gave up four runs (all earned) on six hits, while striking out three. Sophomore pitcher Adam Ruwe (Park Hills, Ky./Covington Catholic) pitched one and a third innings of relief and gave up one hit and struck out two, while junior pitcher Brandon Ward (Edgewood, Ky./Covington Catholic) pitched two-thirds of an inning and gave up no hits.
Thomas More had 18 hits in the game and had six Saints with multiple hits. Sophomore first baseman Sean Lawrence (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) was three-for-five with a home run, a run scored and four runs batted-in. Junior third baseman Bailey Abbatiello (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) was three-for-four with a double, two runs scored and four RBI. Sophomore left fielder Joshua Boeckmann (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) was two-for-six with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI, junior second baseman Ben Laumann (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) was two-for-five with four runs scored, sophomore shortstop Jacob Whitford (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands) was two-for-six with two runs scored and first-year designated hitter Mitchell Hogue (Harrison, Ohio/Harrison) was two-for-four with two runs scored.
Thomas More's PAC doubleheader at Waynesburg University scheduled for Tuesday (March 28) has been moved to Wednesday (March 29) at 1 p.m. in Waynesburg University. Wednesday's originally scheduled home game against Spaulding University has been postponed with no make-up date announced.
