CEDARVILLE, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team suffered a walk-off loss in game one but overcame a seven-run deficit in game two to split a Great Midwest Athletic Conference doubleheader against Cedarville University on Friday.  With the split, the Panthers move to 18-18 overall and 8-6 in conference play.

Game One: Kentucky Wesleyan 6 – Cedarville 7
The Yellow Jackets took a quick 2-0 lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first.  Kentucky Wesleyan tied it up in the top of the third with Andrew Kirkland driving in two with a single up the middle.

A pair of sacrifice flies from Cody Jackson and Joseph Burke gave the Panthers a 4-2 in the top of the fifth.  Cedarville responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to make it a one-run game.

Adam Brown drove in the final two runs for the Panthers, knocking a double to left center in the sixth inning, and a double to center field in the eighth, giving the Kentucky Wesleyan a 6-3 lead entering the final inning.

The Yellow Jackets took game one in walk-off fashion, scoring four runs off of four hits in the bottom of the ninth.

Alex Franzen suffered his first loss of the season, allowing four runs off of four hits in 0.1 innings.  Ryan Hundley took a no decision, pitching the first 5.0 innings and striking out four while allowing three runs off of seven hits.  Nate Verst struck out five and allowed three hits in 3.0 innings.

Josh Galvan finished game one a perfect three-for-three at the plate with three runs scored.  Brown and Kirkland each went two-for-four while Cody Bridges, Jacob Snodgrass and Burke tabbed one hit a piece.

Game Two: Kentucky Wesleyan 20 – Cedarville 14
The Panthers overcame a seven-run deficit to take the high hitting affair of game two.  Kentucky Wesleyan chipped away at the deficit with a two-run home run from Burke in the second inning and a grand slam from Brown in the third.

Kentucky Wesleyan plated eight runs in the top of the fourth to take a 14-11 lead.  Bridges hit a one-run single up the middle and Kirkland ripped a double down the left field line to score Galvan.  With two on and two outs, Burke hit his second home run of the game, a three-run shot to left field to give the Panthers their first lead of the game.

Six runs in the top of the fifth allowed the Panthers to pull away with a nine-run lead of their own.  Burke and Bridges tabbed one-run singles while the other four runs in the inning were scored off of bases loaded walks or hit by pitches.

Cedarville scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth but it was too little too late as Kentucky Wesleyan held on for the 20-14 win.

Zach Burton took a no decision, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing eight runs off of six hits.  Allen Howe gave up two hits and one run in 0.2 innings.  Aaron Hendrickson pitched 0.1 innings, allowing two runs off of four hits.  Ryan Bailey earned his second win of the season, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing three runs off of three hits.  Spencer Jackson closed out the final 1.1 innings, striking out one and retiring all four batters faced.

Kirkland finished game two four-for-five at the plate with three runs scored.  Bridges, Burke and Snodgrass each tabbed three hits with Burke leading the way with six runs batted in.

The two teams will wrap up the weekend series on Saturday with a doubleheader slated for 11 am CT.

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