OWENSBORO, Ky. – Mitchell Jones threw his first career complete game shut out on Saturday, helping the Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team defeat Alderson Broaddus 8-0 in game one before taking game two 13-8. The Panthers took the weekend series 3-1 to improve to 23-22 overall and 12-8 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
Game One: Alderson Broaddus 0 – Kentucky Wesleyan 8
Jones was lights out in his third win of the season, allowing only two hits and holding the Battlers scoreless. The sophomore tabbed two strike outs without giving up any walks.
The Panthers broke open the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the second. Levi Tanner drove in one with a double and Nathan Stemle scored on a wild pitch. With a runner on third, Cody Bridges knocked a single to left field to cap off the inning.
Reigning G-MAC player of the Week Joseph Burke hit his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the third, a two-run shot to left field to put Kentucky Wesleyan ahead 5-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Jake Carter stepped up to the plate with runners on the corners and two outs. A single to center field allowed Bridges to score.
Bridges kept things going for the Panthers in the fifth, driving in two runs with a two-out single to put Kentucky Wesleyan ahead 8-0.
Burke finished game one a perfect three-for-three at the plate with two runs scored and two driven in. Bridges went three-for-four with two RBI's. Andrew Kirkland, Carter and Stemle each recorded two hits.
Game Two: Alderson Broaddus 8 – Kentucky Wesleyan 13
Alderson Broaddus struck first in game two, scoring two runs in the top of the first but the Panthers responded with two of their own in the bottom of the inning. Josh Galvan and Jacob Snodgrass both tabbed one-run doubles to tie things up at two.
Lane Kennemore led off the bottom of the second with a double to center field and eventually scored on a fielder's choice by Bridges, giving Kentucky Wesleyan a one-run lead.
The Battlers plated two runs in the top of the third, taking a one-run lead of their own. Kirkland made it a tie ball game in bottom of the frame with a solo home run, his seventh home run of the season.
Kentucky Wesleyan broke out for five runs over the next two innings to jump out to a 9-5 lead after the sixth inning. Snodgrass drove in one with a triple to center field, while Bridges and Galvan drove in three runs with a pair of singles.
In the top of the seventh, Alderson Broaddus made it a three-run game and had two runners on with zero outs but a double play and a strikeout would end the inning.
The Panthers scored their final three runs in the bottom of the eighth with Burke grounding out with the bases loaded, and Kennemore driving in two with a single to center field.
Sammy Holder picked up his sixth win of the season, striking out four and allowing five runs off of 10 hits. In 2.1 innings of relief, Spencer Jackson struck out three and allowed three runs off of four hits. Alex Franzen closed out the final 0.2 innings, giving up one hit and holding the Battlers scoreless.
Galvan finished game two four-for-five at the plate with three runs driven in and scoring two himself. Kennemore went four-for-five as well with three runs scored and two driven in. Snodgrass tabbed two hits while Bridges, Campbell, Kirkland and Stemle recorded one.
The Panthers will wrap up the regular season next weekend with a four-game series at home against Trevecca Nazarene. Both doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday are set for a 12 pm CT start.
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