Wittenberg trailed the entire game after falling into a 10-0 hole because of two turnovers in the first quarter.
• Running back Christian Manville lost a fumble on the first play of the game. Baldwin Wallace took over at the Wittenberg 18-yard line and turned the opportunity into a 30-yard field goal by Joseph Evans,
• Four minutes later, Wittenberg quarterback Max Milton threw an interception that Colin Kaufmann returned 33 yards for a touchdown.
Manville scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter, but Baldwin Wallace answered with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Charlie Bubonic to Oliver Kelleher to take a 17-7 lead into halftime.
Another Wittenberg fumble, this one by Kade Ray on a punt return, led to Baldwin Wallace’s next touchdown. Baldwin Wallace recovered the ball at the Wittenberg 25-yard line and scored on a 27-yard pass from Bubonic to Kelleher with 1:16 left in the third quarter.
Wittenberg trailed 24-7 when it scored its second touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Milton threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Earl Pope.
Wittenberg lost despite gaining more yards (279-242) and more first downs (21-14). Milton completed 22 of 37 passes for 203 yards. Manville gained 104 yards on 21 carries. Kahleel Trent led the receivers with seven catches for 85 yards.
Wittenberg won its 2023 season opener at Dubuque but lost to SUNY-Cortland in 2021 and 2022 and lost at Washington & Jefferson in 2019.
After an off week, Wittenberg returns to action Sept. 21 at Hiram in its North Coast Athletic Conference opener.
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