OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team rallied late to complete the series sweep of Cedarville University on Friday. The Panthers closed out the regular season with nine straight wins, outscoring their opponents 85-42 during that span.
Wesleyan clinched the top spot in the South Division of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference along with a berth in the G-MAC tournament but with two days remaining in the regular season, their opponent is yet to be determined. The tournament kicks off on Wednesday, May 9 at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio.
Cedarville jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second after stringing together five hits. It was the first time they led all series.
The Panthers clawed back to cut the deficit to one run. With two on and two out, Lane Kennemore cleared the bases with a double down the right field line.
A pitcher's duel quickly developed as the two teams combined for just two hits over the next three innings. The Yellow Jackets tabbed three hits in the top of the sixth to extend their lead to 4-2.
It was déjà vu in the bottom of the sixth for the Panthers as Cody Bridges stepped up to the plate with two on and two outs, laying down a double in the right center gap to score both base runners and knot the game at 4.
Joe Burke, Andrew Kirkland and Ostin Clark tabbed back-to-back-to-back singles in the bottom of the seventh to score one run for the Panthers and take a 5-4 lead. Wesleyan scored its sixth and final run in the bottom of the eighth after Cody Jackson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Chris Johnson threw the first 6.0 innings, striking out 6 and allowing four runs off of 11 hits. The Panther bullpen combined for three scoreless innings, holding the Yellow Jackets to three base runners. Joey Lara picked up his first win of the season with 1.0 inning of relief, allowing two hits. Nate Verst struck out one while giving up one hit in 1.0 innings. Alex Franzen picked up his seventh save of the season, striking out two and not allowing a baserunner in 1.0 innings.
Bridges was the lone Panther to have a multi-hit game, going four-for-five at the plate with two runs driven in and one run scored. Kennemore, Burke, Kirkland, Clark, Levi Tanner and Ben Wilcoxson each tallied one hit.
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