It was a cold and windy day at the Waynesburg Baseball Complex, but that did not stop the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets from finishing off a Wednesday sweep of the Wilson College Phoenix with a 4-2 win in game one and a 7-0 win in game two.

The sun tried to fight through the clouds later in the day, but Waynesburg’s pitching staff made sure the scoreboard stayed bright anyway, holding Wilson scoreless in the second game while the Jackets took advantage of Wilson mistakes early. 

“Our team has a great foundation. Great leadership on the team,” head coach Michael Impellittiere said.

After losing two straight, the message to the clubhouse was simple heading into Wednesday. 

“Business as usual we have 40-plus games. Take care of business,” Impellittiere said.

Waynesburg struck first in the bottom of the first when senior Jordan Mosley singled and later scored on a Trent Giraffa RBI-single up the middle to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead.

The Jackets broke the game open in the third inning. 

Freshman Eli Boring came through with a leadoff single, and Waynesburg turned that into three runs in the frame. Boring scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0, then Mason Leonard drove in Giraffa with an RBI-single to right field. Freshman Luke Buckner scored on another wild pitch to push the lead to 4-0.

Wilson did not go quietly, answering with two runs in the fifth. Two runs came home for the Phoenix making the score 4-2. 

From there, Waynesburg got the shutdown outs it needed. Pratt went 4.1 innings and struck out seven, and Aydan Adamson closed the door with 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the save.

At the plate in game one, Giraffa finished 2 for 3 with an RBI, Leonard went 2 for 3 with an RBI, and Boring was a spark at the top of the order with a 2 for 2 day plus a run scored. 

Waynesburg kept adding on in the second, pushing the lead to five when senior Hunter Hamilton hit a two RBI single up the middle that brought home Mosley and Brayden Krebs. 

Then, after a few quiet innings, the Jackets tacked on two more in the sixth, first on another Hamilton RBI single, and then on a throwing error that let a run score to make it 7-0.

The story of the second game, though, was the pitching. Ethan Erhard was in control from the start, working five shutout innings while allowing just one hit and striking out eight.

“All of my pitches kind of clicked at once,” Erhard said. “I did throw my curveball more often because I knew they were all very early.”

Hudson Pincavitch and Nick Manko finished the shutout out of the bullpen, and Wilson managed just two hits total in the game.

Offensively in game two, Hamilton drove in three and went 2 for 3, Mamie finished with three RBI, and Boring stayed hot with a 2 for 4 day and two runs scored.

“Moving to 4-2 and being able to get these games in was a huge accomplishment and confidence boost for the guys,” Erhard said.

The upcoming Florida trip is a key point in the season for the Yellow Jackets.

“The goal of the Florida trip is always to come out at least .500 or better. If we can keep riding this momentum and keep the confidence we can make a run for a playoff spot,” Erhard said.

Waynesburg will face off against Bluffton in Winter Haven, Florida in the first of five games in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on March 2 at 11 a.m.