Box Scores: Game 1 vs. Baldwin-Wallace  /  Game 2 vs. Baldwin-Wallace

Brandon Kurtz and Matt Fort, John Carroll's two starting pitchers, combined to strike out 25 batters as the Blue Streaks would earn a split against Baldwin-Wallace in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader staged Wednesday at Schweickert Field.

Kurtz fanned nine batters in a 4-2 game one loss, while Fort struck out a career-high 16 hitters -- two shy of the school record -- in a 3-0 nightcap victory.

In the opener, Kurtz allowed four runs in seven innings of work, but none of the runs were earned. He gave up two runs in the third inning that featured an error and a passed ball, then surrendered two more in the fifth that also featured an error and a passed ball.

By the time the dust settled, the Streaks trailed by a 4-0 score.

JCU scratched out two runs in the bottom of the fifth on three hits off Baldwin-Wallace starter Jim Jakowak, but left the bases loaded. That would be the last real threat as the Blue Streaks managed just one base runner in the final two innings off Yellow Jackets reliever Scott Luthman.

John Carroll outhit the Yellow Jackets, 8-7, and stranded 10 base runners compared to six by Baldwin-Wallace.

In the second game, Fort pitched a masterpiece. He never allowed more than one hit in any inning, and did not walk a batter in hurling nine scoreless innings.

The Blue Streaks would get all the runs they needed in the bottom of the third inning. Michael Krainz delivered a two-out two-run double down the left field line that plated John Hastings and Ryan Lewis

Sean McCarthy added an RBI single that scored Lewis in the fifth for the game's final run.

In the meantime, Fort would flirt with the school record of 18 strikeouts set by Brian Clarke in 1984. Although he was just shy of the mark, he did improve to 4-0 on the year and now has a streak of 16 consecutive scoreless innings.

The split leaves John Carroll with a record of 12-4 overall and 3-1 in the OAC, while Baldwin-Wallace is now 9-7 overall and 2-2 in league play.