STEUBENVILLE, OH – The Westminster College baseball team split with Franciscan in a road doubleheader Sunday to wrap up the series with the Barons. The Titans lost game one, 12-6, however, held off Franciscan's rally in game two for a 7-6 win.
 
In the first game, Franciscan (2-2) took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the first. Westminster (2-2) got on the board in the third inning off a two-run double to left field by junior Mike Grazier (Austintown, OH / Austintown-Fitch), cutting the Barons' lead to 3-2. Franciscan added to its lead in the fifth with a run, however, senior Tyler Barnot (Pittsburgh, PA / Bethel Park) matched it with an RBI-double in the sixth making the score 4-3 with Franciscan ahead. The Barons pulled away with five runs in the seventh and three in the eighth. The Titans fought to the last pitched with a three-run ninth, courtesy of a two-run double by junior Matt Costello (New Castle, PA / Union Area) and an RBI-single by senior Frank Cinicola (Cranberry Township, PA / Seneca Valley), however, the deficit was too large to overcome. First-year Kolton Banfi (Harrisville, PA / Franklin Area) got the starting nod in his collegiate debut for the Titans and pitched four complete innings, giving up three runs off three hits and striking out one. The Titans had five players with extra-base hits, led by junior Dawson Porter (Kittanning, PA / Armstrong) with two doubles.
 
In the nightcap, the Titans jumped ahead in the first inning as junior Sean Davis (Sharpsville, PA / Sharpsville) connected on a two-run RBI. Franciscan responded in the bottom half with two runs of its own to tie it at 2. The third inning was the difference in the game as Westminster scored four runs, with the last one courtesy of Davis's RBI-triple. The Barons rallied with two runs in the third and one in the fourth, however, another clutch performance by first-year closer Nathaniel Wilkins (Herminie, PA / Yough) sealed the Titan win. In their last at bat, the Barons had runners on first and second with only one out. Wilkins entered and earned a strike out and a fly out for his second save in the young season. Davis, junior Seth Schrader (Fredonia, NY / Fredonia), and first-year Logan Murgenovich (Aliquippa, PA / Central Valley) both had a team-high two hits apiece. Schrader and junior Logan Fordyce (Cuyahoga Falls, OH / Cuyahoga Falls) led the Titans with a pair of RBIs. Sophomore pitcher Joseph Kozlina (Cranberry Township, PA / Seneca Valley) earned the win for the Titans as he came in for relief and threw 2.2 innings and only allowed one run off three hits and striking out four.
 
The Titans are back in action Saturday, March 20 with a home doubleheader vs. Thiel. Game one is slated for 1 p.m