Wrestling 1/11/2018 9:00:00 PM

Blue Jays score final 15 points to take down Scranton

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. -- Pins from Quinn Ruble and Eric Eckstein along with a decision by Rocco Hladney brought the Elizabethtown College wrestling team back from a late seven-point deficit in Wednesday evening's 29-21 victory over Scranton.

The Blue Jays and Royals swapped the lead four times and almost a fifth. Thankfully for Elizabethtown, it never came to fruition.

Ruble trailed Patrick Deacon, 6-2, entering the third period of their 174-pound match with the Blue Jays (4-4) already in a 21-14 hole overall. Deacon, who deferred his starting choice following the first, went neutral after the second and it backfired. Ruble worked a takedown 18 seconds into the final stanza and 20 ticks later the senior had his team-leading eighth pin of the season, pulling his team back within a point.

E-town turned to Hladney, its wins leader, and he came through with a 3-2 decision at 197 to give the Jays their final lead of the night. The Middletown, Del., native scored the only takedown of the match late in the first period against Daniel D'Agostini, but the Royals' rep evened the score at two by the end of the second on a pair of escapes. Hladney was able to get back to his feet four seconds into the third for the deciding point and hold off D'Agostini the rest of the way.

Hladney's result put the pressure on Scranton to respond and heavyweight William Oxley nearly did before being called for his second stall one second shy of capturing a 2-1 win in double overtime. Oxley's penalty point allowed Eckstein to stay alive and he took advantage with a quick takedown and pin at 9:31 to lock up the win for the Blue and Gray.

Elizabethtown built an early 10-0 lead on a forfeit victory by Philip Torresani (125) and Josh McLaughlin's (133) commanding 11-2 major decision over Jake Thomson.

An unfortunate injury to Josh Paisley at 141 just over midway through a scoreless first period got Scranton on the board and the Royals capitalized on the opportunity with a pin from T.J. Conlon at 149 to take their first lead of the night, 12-10.

Coming off a 3-1 Saturday at the North-South Duals, senior 157-pounder Chris Kummerer stayed hot with a takedown and six back points in the first period on his way to a 13-2 major decision that again flipped the lead in E-town's favor. The victory was No. 60 of Kummerer's career.

Scranton used a pin from Kevin Merle at 165 and Zach D'Apolito edged Tyler Mentzer at 174, 5-4, on a riding time point to push the Royals ahead 21-14, before Elizabethtown won the final three weight classes to score the last 15 points.

Elizabethtown will send wrestlers to Saturday's Will Abele Invitational, before getting back to dual action at Gettysburg a week from Friday.

Elizabethtown vs. Scranton Thursday, January 11, 2018 // Elizabethtown, Pa. (Thompson Gymnasium)
Wt.		EC	SCR
125	Philip Torresani (EC) won by forfeit	6	0
133	Josh McLaughlin (EC) maj. dec. Jake Thomson (SCR), 11-2	10	0
141	Nicholas Ciacci (SCR) inj. def. Josh Paisley (EC), 1:50	10	6
149	T.J. Conlon (SCR) pinned Dan Smith (EC), 4:28	10	12
157	Chris Kummerer (EC) maj. dec. John Sheedy (SCR), 13-2	14	12
165	Kevin Merle (SCR) pinned Dan Jerrems (EC), 4:56	14	18
174	Zachary D'Apolito (SCR) dec. Tyler Mentzer (EC), 5-4	14	21
184	Quinn Ruble (EC) pinned Patrick Deacon (SCR), 5:38	20	21
197	#NR/HM Rocco Hladney (EC) dec. Daniel D'Agostini (SCR), 3-2	23	21
285	Eric Eckstein (EC) pinned William Oxley (SCR), 9:31 (SV3)	29	21
Rankings: NWCA / d3wrestle.com NR - Not ranked CT - Contender HM - Honorable Mention

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Players Mentioned

Eric Eckstein: 285; 5' 10"; Senior

Rocco Hladney: 197; 5' 11"; Senior

Dan Jerrems: 165/174/184; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Chris Kummerer: 157/165; 5' 7"; Senior

Josh Paisley: 141; 5' 5"; Sophomore

Quinn Ruble: 184/197; 6' 0"; Senior

Dan Smith: 149/157; 5' 8"; Junior

Philip Torresani: 125/149; 5' 3"; Senior

Josh McLaughlin: 133; 5' 7"; Freshman

Tyler Mentzer: 174; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Eric Eckstein
: 5' 10"; Senior
: 285

Rocco Hladney
: 5' 11"; Senior
: 197

Dan Jerrems
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: 165/174/184

Chris Kummerer
: 5' 7"; Senior
: 157/165

Josh Paisley
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: 141

Quinn Ruble
: 6' 0"; Senior
: 184/197

Dan Smith
: 5' 8"; Junior
: 149/157

Philip Torresani
: 5' 3"; Senior
: 125/149

Josh McLaughlin
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: 133

Tyler Mentzer
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: 174