FINDLAY, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team suffered a pair of set backs against Great Midwest Athletic Conference newcomer University of Findlay on Friday. The Panthers move to 12-11 on the season while the Oilers improve to 12-4.
Game 1: KWC 2 – Findlay 5
The first five innings were a pitchers duel as the two teams combined for just three hits. Cody Bridges led off the top of the sixth with a walk and moved into scoring position after stealing second. Andrew Kirkland laid down a single in right field, allowing Bridges to score the first run of the game. Three batters later, Ethan Maxey ripped a single up the middle, scoring Kirkland and giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
Findlay responded in the bottom of the sixth with a lead off double followed by a single and a sacrifice fly. The Oilers plated five runs in the inning off of three hits to take a 5-2 lead.
Nate Verst worked a pair of one-two-three innings in the seventh and eighth but Wesleyan was unable to get its offense going, only tabbing two hits in the final three frames.
Lane Kennemore and Joseph Burke both went two-for-four in game one while Kirkland and Maxey recorded one hit each.
Ryan Hundley threw 5.1 innings in his second loss of the season, striking out six while allowing four runs off of four hits. Alex Franzen gave up one run in 0.1 innings while Nate Verst pitched the final 2.1 innings, holding the Oilers hitless and striking out two.
Game 2: KWC 3 – Findlay 4
Findlay got on the board first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second after a lead off double. Wesleyan fought back with a two-out rally to take a 3-2 lead in the fourth.
Cam Curry got on base with a one out single and moved to second on a single from Levi Tanner. With two on and two out, Bridges knocked a single to right center, scoring Curry and moving Tanner to third. A wild pitch allowed Tanner to score the tying run before Lane Kennemore reached on a fielding error by the left fielder, allowing Bridges to score.
The Oilers answered back with three hits in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead that would hold in the seven inning game.
Mitchell Jones suffered his fourth loss of the season , throwing 4.2 innings and allowing four runs off of six hits. Taylor Grider threw 1.1 innings of relief, holding the Oilers hitless. Both pitchers tallied two strike outs.
Bridges finished game two two-for-four at the plate with one run driven in and one run scored. Ostin Clark, Maxey, Curry and Tanner each tallied one hit.
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