OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team opened Great Midwest Athletic Conference play on Sunday in a four-game series against Lake Erie College.  The Panthers fell in game one, 8-6, before game two was suspended due to darkness.

Game 1: LEC 8 – KWC 6
Both offenses exploded for a combined 27 hits in game one.  The Storm wasted no time establishing a lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning.  Wesleyan responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-out RBI single from Cam Curry.  The Panthers chipped away at their deficit in the third, plating one run on an infield single from Brayden Sisson.

Lake Erie strung together four hits with two outs in the top of the fourth to score four runs and extend their lead to 7-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, Zach Allen hit a groundball that was misplayed by the shortstop, allowing Chase Andrews to score.  Two batters later, Allen scored on a single to centerfield from Reece Puckett, cutting the Storm's lead to three.

Both teams scored a run in the sixth inning, keeping it a three-run ball game.  With two outs, Puckett scored from first on a single down the right field line from Sisson.

Back-to-back singles from Puckett and Sisson put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the eighth.  Lane Kennemore grounded out but was able to drive in Puckett to cut the deficit to two.  The Panthers put a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth but were unable to score a run.

Chris Johnson took a no-decision in his fourth start of the season, striking out two and allowing three runs in 2.0 innings.  Mitchell Jones suffered his second loss on the year, throwing 2.1 innings and giving up four runs off of five hits.

Sisson finished game one three-for-five at the plate with two runs driven in.  Andrews went three-for-four while Puckett was two-for-four with three runs scored.

Game 2: LEC 7 – KWC 7
Lake Erie struck first again, scoring two runs in the top of the first.  The Panthers posted four runs in the bottom of the second to take their first lead of the day.  Andrews led off the inning with a double before Ethan Maxey drove in two with another double.  Three batters later, Maxey scored on an infield groundout followed by Ben Wilcoxson scoring on a passed ball.

The Storm strung together three hits in the top of the fifth to score three runs and regain a 5-4 lead.

Wesleyan posted three runs over the next two innings to take a two-run lead.  Lane Kennemore led off the bottom of the fifth by getting hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a single from Joseph Burke, then scored on a wild pitch to knot the game at five.

The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth.  Kennemore drove in one run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.  Burke hit a fly ball to left field that was dropped, scoring Puckett.

Lake Erie evened the game at seven in the top of the seventh, forcing extra innings.  Neither team scored a run in the eighth before the game was suspended due to darkness.  It will resume at 11 am CT on Monday, followed by the remaining two games of the series.

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