Never Say Die: Wooster Baseball’s Clutch Wins Keep the Momentum Rolling

Photo: George Vernadakis

For the Wooster Fighting Scots baseball team, the past three weeks have been both exciting and grueling as they’ve traveled across the Midwest and Texas. Since March 7, Wooster has played 16 games in just 21 days, 12 of them on the road. Yet, the Scots have rattled off 12 wins, bringing their overall record to 17-6 and positioning themselves for an NCAA Division III postseason push.

Wooster’s Calling Card

If there’s one thing that’s defined the Fighting Scots this season, it’s their ability to pull out close games. Five times in their last 12 games, they’ve come out on top in games decided by a single run. Three of those games have gone into extra innings. 

• March 12 vs. Allegheny College, 8-7 in 10 innings
• March 14 vs. Penn State Harrisburg, 4-3
• March 15 vs. Penn State Harrisburg, 8-7 in 10 innings
• March 21 vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor, 10-9
• March 28 vs. Ohio Wesleyan, 10-9 in 10 innings

When asked what’s fueled the team’s success, head coach Aaron Swick said, “I think it’s the one-run games. That’s an important trait for quality teams in my experience. It’s guys having that little bit of grit to them in those close ball games.” He continued, “I think there’s just a resiliency and a belief system that comes from guys working and just punching the clock and trusting themselves and each other that I think is contagious.” 

There’s no question this Scots team is a resilient group that believes in each other and has a “never say die” attitude.

Indiana Sweep

The Scots began the season winning 5 of 7 games, and they kept that momentum going in Lafayette, Indiana. They swept a four-game series against Illinois Tech and Elmhurst, piling up 46 runs on 61 hits. Sophomore Luke Rizzo led the charge, going 5-for-6 with 3 home runs and 6 RBI across the first two games. That helped earn him NCAC Hitter of the Week honors and set the tone for the weekend.

 

Congratulations to Luke for being elected NCAC hitter of the week. pic.twitter.com/0LuwJkArVB

— Wooster Baseball (@WoosterBaseball) March 10, 2026

Rizzo wasn’t the only one swinging a hot bat. Sophomore David Guldin notched a 5-hit game, swiping 3 bases and driving in 3. Up and down the lineup, guys were finding gaps and driving in runs.

Home Again: Clutch Wins

After returning home from the Hoosier State, the Scots won 3 out of 4 against Allegheny and Penn State Harrisburg. With Penn State holding a national ranking earlier in the season, taking the three-game series was a major statement for the Scots. 

After losing the opener to Penn State, Wooster bounced back in Game 2 behind strong pitching from junior Michael Scarpelli and sophomore James MacMillan. Senior Colin Leslie hit a 2-run go-ahead homer in the sixth inning. The Scots won the series finale in wild fashion. Sophomore Maanav Bhatt belted a 3-run homer to tie it in the 9th, and first-year player Bennett Grossman delivered a walk-off single in the 10th.

 

👀 Here was my view of Bennett Grossman’s game winning hit today. It came in B10 against a tough Penn State Harrisburg team. Wooster wins 8-7 and takes the series. The #FightingScots could enter the Top 25 in #D3Baseball soon. They’re now 12-3! 🔥 #GoScots #NCAC @NEOSportsInside pic.twitter.com/zbojRrUi2a

— CLE Boxscore Beat ⚾ (@CLEBoxscoreBeat) March 15, 2026

Spring Break in Texas

Wooster’s spring break trip was no leisurely vacation. They had 5 games in Texas against tough opponents, and yet the Scots pulled out 3 wins. They opened with a 10-8 win over Southwestern, thanks to 3.1 innings of relief from first-year, two-way player Owen Sherrill and big days at the plate from first-year shortstop Noah Lindberg, junior Koa Siu, and Leslie.

Against East Texas Baptist, Scarpelli and junior closer Constantine Vernadakis combined for a 4-hit shutout with Leslie providing the offense via a 2-run homer. The highlight of the trip might’ve been the 10-9 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor: Sherrill had 4 hits and also slammed the door for the save.

A Tough Test 

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Scots on the road. Nationally ranked Adrian handed the Scots a 15-5 loss in Michigan. But even in defeat, the team showed flashes of the grit that’s become their trademark.

Conference Play Begins

NCAC play opened with a doubleheader sweep of Ohio Wesleyan. In Game 1, Wooster erased a 9-5 deficit to win 10-9 in 10 innings. Junior Zack Barienbrock delivered the game-winner, and senior Jack Spring tossed 5.2 innings of scoreless relief. Game 2 had Sherrill and Siu each driving in 3 and sophomore ace Dame Frayne throwing a seven-inning gem (4 hits, 0 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 105 pitches).

 

Owen Sherrill and Koa Siu with 3 RBI’s each. Lots of offense from everyone and Dame Frayne throws a gem. Scots win game 2 15-2. pic.twitter.com/RsbvInBZdT

— Wooster Baseball (@WoosterBaseball) March 28, 2026

The Standouts

If there’s an anchor to this team, it’s Frayne on the mound. He leads the staff in nearly every category: 2.75 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 4 wins, 36 innings, 36 strikeouts, .181 opponent average. Vernadakis has also stepped up, notching 2 saves, 2 wins, and 13 strikeouts across 10.2 innings. 

Offensively, it’s tough to highlight just one player. Leslie leads the team with 9 home runs and has also been a rock behind the plate defensively. Sherrill is batting .408 with a .491 OBP. Barienbrock, who’s currently riding a nine-game hitting streak, has been the table-setter, leading the team in hits (37) and runs (28).

But it’s not just these statistical leaders. Many others have contributed in key moments. In fact, it takes everyone doing their part to be successful, and every Fighting Scots player I’ve talked to loves this team.

• Spring: “Out of every single team that I’ve been on, I have personally never been on a team that’s like this one. Everybody has each other’s back.”

 

• Vernadakis: “This is the best group of guys I’ve been with ever in my life. It’s a lot of fun every day.”

 

• Rizzo: “This is definitely my favorite baseball team ever, of all time. This team doesn’t give up in any environment to practice or game. We work very hard.”

 

• Barienbrock: “This team is really special. We’ve built a really good culture over the past few months…I just love everything about this team.” 

 

Looking Ahead

With the toughest part of the schedule behind them, the Scots can finally catch their breath. Ten of their final 17 regular season games will be at Art Murray Field, and that home field advantage could be just what the team needs to keep rolling.

However, the biggest challenge still looms: Denison, the NCAC juggernaut, comes to town for a doubleheader on April 18. If Wooster wants to make another statement and claim their spot at the top of the conference, those are the games to do it.

But there’s still work to do. According to Coach Swick, “We’ve got to pitch better. We’ve got some free base challenges in some games. We’ve got to find ways to improve there.” Swick also said, “There’s still some moving parts in the outfield in terms of who’s going to face the lefty or the righty. We have lots of talented guys that can be on the field and that makes it challenging for me to pick the right people.”

If the first half of the season has proven anything, it’s that these Fighting Scots won’t back down from adversity. Swick said, “I think we’ve played a competitive schedule and I’m excited about the conference games moving forward. I like our team and the energy and the consistency that we’re playing with.”

The Bottom Line

Grit. Resilience. Timely hitting. The Wooster Fighting Scots have picked up signature wins and shown they can hang with anyone. With a home-heavy schedule ahead, the Scots are set up for a strong finish and a shot at being the last team standing. 

Go Scots!