Box Score by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C. – Barton College junior Mitchell Wheeler collected a pair of hits in his season debut for the Bulldogs and freshman Andrew Webster added two singles as well, but Barton could not turn opportunities into runs Sunday in dropping a 6-0 decision to No. 20 Seton Hill University at Nixon Field.
The Bulldogs (4-6) produced nine hits on the day, just one less than the Griffins (2-1), but Seton Hill starter Brett Sullivan (1-0) and three relievers recorded key outs when they needed them to keep Barton off the scoreboard. Sullivan worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing six hits, walking two and striking out four.
Barton had at least one runner reach base in eight of the nine innings, including the leadoff batter three times, and had a runner reach scoring position in four separate innings. However, the Bulldogs hit just 2-of-18 with runners on base and 1-of-10 with runners in scoring position. As a result, Barton stranded 10 base runners in getting shut out for the second time this season.
Seton Hill, meanwhile, was 5-of-12 with runners in scoring position, and also took advantage of three Barton errors.
The Griffins scored all the runs they would ultimately need in the very first inning thanks to a pair of hits off Barton starter Zach Breen (2-1) and two Bulldog miscues. Taylor Schmidt produced a one-out single and stole second, Nick Sell followed with a walk, and Josh Forbes hit a routine grounder to second that was fumbled by Calvin Hawke, loading the bases.
Breen got a pop-up to shortstop for the second out of the inning, but Barton catcher Snooter Merryman tried a pickoff play at second and threw the ball wildly, allowing Schmidt to come home with the game's first run. Cody Herald followed with a single to left, driving in Sell with a second run. The two unearned runs were Barton's 17th and 18th of the season in its first 10 games.
The Griffins scored single runs in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, each time after getting the leadoff runner on base. Schmidt provided an RBI double in the second, Brendan Costantino singled home the run in the fourth, Zach Heide produced a sacrifice fly in the fifth to cash in on Forbes' leadoff double, and Schmidt delivered another RBI single in the sixth. Schmidt went 3-for-4 on the day with the two RBI.
Barton had its chances from the very first inning, when Webster singled to left with one out and Merryman moved him to third with a two-out single to right. However, the Bulldogs sent Merryman running on the first-and-third double-steal play, and he was tagged out at second to end the inning.
In the fourth, Tyler Garrett singled to left and stole second, but a strikeout and a groundout left him there. In the fifth, walks by Merryman and Wheeler put a runner in scoring position with two outs, but a fielder's choice ended the threat.
Wheeler, who missed the first nine games due to injury, doubled to lead off the Barton seventh, and moved to third on pinch-hitter Matt Tilley's groundout to second. With two outs, Garrett walked and stole his second base of the day to put two runners in scoring position, but SHU reliever Mike Bittel got a groundout to end the inning with no damage.
Barton had one more opportunity to get on the board in the eighth after Dillon Rudio greeted Seton Hill reliever Logan Urtz with a double into the right-centerfield gap and pinch-hitter Avery Harper moved him to third with a one-out single to left. However, Urtz recorded a strikeout for the second out, and after a Harper steal of second, got a flyball to end the inning and maintain the shutout.
In addition to the return of Wheeler, the Bulldogs were encouraged by the 2014 debut of starting pitcher Brandon Warren in a relief role. The junior, who has been out all season due to injury, tossed the ninth inning to get in some work, and retired the heart of the order for the Griffins, including the All-American Sell, on just five pitches.
Warren and two other Barton relievers held the Griffins to three hits and one run over the final 4 2/3 innings.
Barton will return to action on Tuesday when it hosts Coker College in a 3 p.m. contest at Fleming Stadium.
