News
Bulldogs edged by Division Champs Wright State University
Turning up the heat
October 10, 2011
Phillip Kunkle had two hits and an RBI in NU's 8-7 loss at Wright State.
FAIRBORN — In typical Newport College style, the Bulldogs battled Wright State University to the very last pitch before dropping an 8-7 decision to the Raiders at Nischwitz Stadium Monday night.
The loss drops Newport to 16-16 on the season while Wright State improves to 26-15.
“There ain’t no quit in this group,” Newport head coach Tony Haley said. “We fought, we played some great baseball tonight. Our outfielders ran some balls down and we turned two beautiful double plays on them. We had this game won, but it slipped away.”
The Bulldogs, coming off two weekend doubleheaders, took the game to the Raiders, Division I playoff qualifiers in 2006. Newport jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jason Iles (Fayetteville) reached on a error and scored on a balk. Ben Butler (Beavercreek/Carroll) ripped a single and later scored on a double off the bat of Wade Rethmel (Defiance/Tinora).
Bryce DeWeese (Jeffersonville/Miami Trace) held the Raiders scoreless over the first three innings, and Newport expanded its lead to 4-0 in the fourth when Mike Kroger (Cincinnati/Elder) belted his fifth homer of the season and Jamison George (Mount Sterling/Miami Trace) crossed the plate on a throwing error.
After the Raiders scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, the Bulldogs pushed two across in the seventh off Newport High School graduate Greg Robinson to take a 6-2 advantage. Iles doubled and scored on a throwing error and Rethmel came home when Kroeger singled to center field.
The Raiders cut the deficit to 6-3 with a run in the home seventh, and took advantage of five walks and a hit batter to score five runs on just two hits and grab an 8-6 lead after eight innings.
The Bulldogs dusted off their rally caps and got busy in the ninth. Iles doubled to left and went to third on a Rethmel single. Chad Knittel (Jackson) drove Iles home with a single, but Newport left two runners on base as the Raiders got the final two outs for the win.
“Our guys have been looking forward to this game all year,” Haley said. “Wright State may have been looking at us and saying, ‘Division III, so what?’ But I think we opened their eyes up. Bryce DeWeese pitched a great game, but just ran out of gas. There were scouts here looking at their first baseman, but I think we had some guys that may have impressed the scouts. It’s baseball. You’ve got to get excited to play. You play so many games in a row that you’ve just got to put the last game behind you and get ready to play. That’s what our team does.”
Newport totaled 12 hits, including two each from Iles, Butler, Rethmel, Knittel and Kroeger.
The Bulldogs will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Tuesday at Franklin College.
