FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The No. 2-ranked Indiana Tech wrestling team started a busy weekend with a 4 -4 victory on Friday evening over regional rival Manchester on Senior Night at the Schaefer Center.
Antonio Rodriguez would start off the match with a win via forfeit at 174-pounds to give the Warriors the early lead while
Dillon Francisco would dominate Alex Roberts at 184-lbs. with a 16-1 tech fall.
Tech would pick up its first fall of the evening when
Oscar Martinez would pin Darian Newbolt at 6:25 while
Eric Ousley would get a hard-fought 1-0 decision in the heavyweight bout.
Sawyer Miller then followed up with a dominating 20-5 tech fall at 6:56 in the 125-lbs. clash to give Tech a 25-0 lead at the intermission.
Defending national champion
Mitch Pawlak would pin Ben Cauffman at 3:19 in the 133-lbs. match to increase the Orange and Black's lead to 31-0 to start the second half of the dual. After a Spartan victory at 141-lbs.,
Thomas Garty would respond with a 16-0 tech fall to put the Warriors up 36-4.
The final two matches of the evening would see
Mitch Roadruck and
John Weldon pick up wins at 157 and 165-lbs. with an 8-4 decision and a 19-4 tech fall, respectively.
During intermission the team would honor its two seniors,
Andrew Roberts and
Mitch Pawlak. Roberts would get a pin a 4:34 in an exhibition matchup at 174-lbs. vs. Clayton Capes in the first match of the evening.
Tech (12-4 duals record) returns to action on Sunday as they battle in the Greyhound Open, hosted by the University of Indianapolis. Wrestling is set to begin at 10 a.m. from the Athletic and Recreation Center (ARC).
