BEREA, Ky. -- The Grove City College baseball team opened the 2022 season Saturday afternoon by splitting a pair of non-conference games at Berea College. The Wolverines opened the day with a 12-2, eight-inning victory over Berea. Grove City then dropped a 4-3 decision in 11 innings to provisional NCAA Division III member Asbury (Ky.).

Grove City pounded out 14 hits in the opener against Berea, including five extra-base hits. Junior catcher C.J. Saylor (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) helped lead the offensive attack by going 3 for 4 with a triple and two runs batted in. Sophomore infielder Markus Williams (Sewickley, Pa./Eden Christian) cracked a pair of doubles as part of a three-hit effort while sophomore shortstop Lucca Baccari (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) tripled and singled.

Freshman center fielder Nico Rodriguez (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) doubled, singled and scored three runs. Senior left fielder Jesse Clary (Cranberry Township, Pa./Eden Christian) added a pair of singles.

Grove City grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Saylor tripled in Clary and then scored on a single by freshman DH Mally Kilbane (Olmsted Falls, Ohio/Olmsted Falls). Williams scored on a Clary single in the second inning, pushing the lead to 3-0.

Grove City then broke open the game in the fifth inning as Baccari belted a three-run triple that scored Rodriguez, junior right fielder Anthony Tambellini (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) and senior first baseman Bubba Hamilton (Garner, N.C./Waynesboro, Pa.).

The Wolverines sealed the win with a pair of runs in the seventh and three more runs in the eighth.

Freshman pitcher Evan Umland (Pasadena, Calif./La Canada) earned the win in his collegiate debut. Umland struck out 11 men in five innings. He walked two and allowed one earned run. Sophomore Nate Hamel (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) picked up the save by pitching three innings of relief. Hamel struck out two and yielded an earned run.

Clary led Grove City's 12-hit attack against Asbury by going 3 for 5. Saylor doubled and singled while Tambellini and freshman third baseman Luke Vittone (Seven Fields, Pa./Eden Christian) both added a pair of singles. 

Grove City trailed 3-2 in the top of the ninth but tied the game when junior pinch runner Aaron Jenks (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) scored on a fielder's choice. Asbury loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 10th inning. However, sophomore pitcher Nick Guidas (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) preserved the 3-3 tie by striking out the side.

Guidas struck out eight men in his four innings of relief. He took the setback after allowing a run in the 11th. He allowed three hits in his outing. Senior pitcher Tate Ostrowski (Essex, Mass./Covenant Christian) started for Grove City and allowed three runs in six innings. He fanned six.

Grove City left 18 runners on base.

Grove City returns to action Friday in central Florida at the RussMatt Invitational. The Wolverines will open the trip by facing Northern Vermont in Davenport, Fla.