Joey Gilmore

Michael Whitaker

The College of Wooster may be inexperienced, but it has started out the 2015 baseball season as many of its past teams have. The Fighting Scots are a perfect 5-0 through the first week of its annual spring break swing through Florida, with the opening five games taking place in Fort Myers.

Wooster started out with a 6-4 comeback versus North Park University, plating all six of its runs in the seventh inning and on, and ended the week by scoring twice in the top of the 10th to edge Dominican (Ill.) University by the same. Sandwiched around those 6-4 victories over Illinois schools, the Scots cruised past the University of Pitt.-Bradford 10-3, Olivet College 8-4, and Rockford University 7-3.

Wooster's successful debut has been due in large part to defense – a .974 fielding percentage and five double plays – and pitching. While new staff ace Zach Woullard did not factor in a decision in either of his two starts, the junior right-hander helped the team to wins against their toughest opponents with a 2.45 ERA and nine strikeouts in 11.0 innings.

Anthony Malky, Michael Houdek, and Danny Reese all picked up victories in their starts. Malky and Reese each had quality starts, with the former going the first six innings of the Pitt.-Bradford game and yielding just two runs on six hits and the latter also throwing six innings with three runs allowed on five hits against Olivet. Houdek was one out shy from another quality start.

Relievers Michael Whitaker and Nanak Saran played pivotal roles, both making four appearances. Whitaker collected the wins in the North Park and Dominican (Ill.) games, limiting opponents to a .182 batting average overall and tallying a 3.00 ERA. Saran closed out two games, including earning a save against North Park.

Offensively, Joey Gilmore and Frank Vance are leading the way. Gilmore has been consistent with at least one hit in every game, part of a .400 average with three doubles, plus he has three stolen bases, while the streaky Vance is just a shade under at .391 with four extra base hits – two doubles, one triple, and one home run – and six RBI. Three of Vance's hits, including the homer, and three of his RBI came against Pitt.-Bradford, and he also had a three-hit game versus Rockford.

Also notable, leadoff man Jake Fling is batting at a .316 clip, highlighted by a 3-for-6, two-RBI effort in the Scots' most recent outing; Jamie Lackner started the rally against North Park with a two-run double in the seventh, one of his three two-baggers on the trip thus far; and John McLain was a perfect 4-for-4 against Olivet.

Wooster has six more games scheduled to take place on the trip in Port Charlotte.