OAKLAND CITY, Ind. – Down two and clinging to their final out, the Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team rallied late to beat Oakland City University 5-4 in game one of the doubleheader. In game two, the Panthers pounded 23 hits to score 26 runs and blank the Mighty Oaks, 26-0. The 26 runs comes in at second in the record books, behind two games with 27 runs against Lane in 2016 and Minnesota-Crookston in 2015. The 23 hits ranks third with the Minnesota-Crookston game seeing 25 hits. With the two wins, Kentucky Wesleyan improves to 9-10 on the season.
Game One: Kentucky Wesleyan 5 – Oakland City 4
The Panthers struck first in the top of the first but found themselves in a 3-2 deficit after two innings. A tight defensive game would see that score stick until Oakland City extended its lead to two in the bottom of the fifth.
With two outs in the top of the seventh, Levi Tanner found a gap in right center for a triple. Zach Allen drove in Tanner with his first home run of the season, a no-doubter to straight away center, to know the game at four.
Seth Campbell kept the rally going with a single through the right side and advanced to second on a fielding error by the centerfielder. Lane Kennemore drove in the game-winning run with a single to center field.
Alex Franzen came in to close out the game and Oakland City threatened to tie it with the game-tying run 90-feet away with only one out. Franzen dug in and struck out the side for his second save of the season.
Campbell and Cody Bridges both finished game one two-for-three at the plate while Tanner and Allen went two-for-four. Jacob Snodgrass, Josh Galvan and Kennemore each recorded one hit. Allen led the Panthers with two runs driven in.
Ryan Hundley pitched 4.2 innings, striking out five and allowed four runs off of five hits. Nate Verst earned his third win of the season in 1.1 innings of relief, striking out two and not allowing any base runners.
Game Two: Kentucky Wesleyan 26 – Oakland City 0
Kentucky Wesleyan wasted no time getting on the board, scoring five runs in both the first and second innings off of eight hits including a triple from Bridges and a two-run double from Snodgrass.
In the third inning, Galvan smashed the ball over the center field fence for his second home run of the season to put the Panthers ahead 12-0 after two.
Kentucky Wesleyan tabbed eight hits to score 11 runs in the top of the sixth. Ethan Maxey drove in two with a ground-rule double, Kennemore knocked a two-run single to right and Adam Brown drove in one with a double to center field. Cody Jackson capped off the scoring with a three-run home run to left field.
Brown and Kennemore each went four-for-six in game two while Galvan and Bridges went three-for-four. Cody Jackson and Maxey tabbed two hits a piece while Jake Carter and Campbell each recorded one. Galvan led the Panthers with six runs driven in while Snodgrass brought in five. Bridges scored five runs himself while Snodgrass and Brown each scored four times.
Zach Burton earned his second win of the season, striking out four and allowing four hits. Aaron Hendrickson pitched 1.0 innings, striking out one. Spencer Jackson, Matt Lasley and Ryan Bailey each pitched 0.2 innings to close out the game with Bailey striking out two. The Panther pitching staff combined to strike out eight and hold the Mighty Oaks to three walks, five hits and zero runs.
The two teams will square off again on Saturday, this time in Owensboro. The doubleheader is set to begin at 11 am CT.
Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.
