OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team extended their win streak to four on Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader against the reigning Great Midwest Athletic Conference champions, Hillsdale College. Chase Andrews provided a walk off home run in game one before Taylor Soper picked up the win on the mound in game two.
With the wins, the Panthers move to 9-11 overall and 4-2 in G-MAC play while the Chargers fall to 6-12 and 3-3 in conference action.
Game 1: Hillsdale 6 – KWC 8
Both teams plated a pair of runs in the first inning to keep things knotted at two. With two on and one out, Cam Curry tucked a double in the left field corner, scoring Brayden Sisson and Joseph Burke.
The Chargers scored one run each in the next two frames to jump out to a 4-2 lead. Wesleyan evened the game in the bottom of the fourth despite not getting a hit. Four walks, including two with the bases loaded, tied the game at four runs apiece.
Hillsdale led off the top of the sixth with a triple and went ahead 5-4 with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. In the bottom of the frame, Reece Puckett was hit by a pitch with two outs and stole second to reach scoring position. Lane Kennemore drove Puckett in with a single to center field, tying the game once again at five.
The two teams combined for just one hit in the seventh and eighth inning, keeping things tied entering the ninth. A lead off home run from the Chargers gave them a 6-5 lead.
Kennemore led off the bottom of the ninth with a single up the middle followed by a base hit from Burke to put the game winning run on base. Two batters later, Chase Andrews sent a rocket over the centerfield fence, giving the Panthers a 8-6 walk off win.
Andrews finished game one two-for-four at the plate with three runs driven in and one run scored. Burke and Sisson went two-for-three while Kennemore was two-for-two with two runs driven in.
Chris Johnson threw the first 5.0 innings, allowing four runs off of nine hits while striking out three. Mitchell Jones picked up his first win of the season after throwing the final 4.0 innings. Jones struck out two while allowing two runs off of three hits.
Game 2: Hillsdale 6 – KWC 10 (7 innings)
The Panthers did not hesitate to take an early lead in game two, stringing together three hits in the top of the first. Sisson led things off with a single before Kennemore drew a walk. Curry drove in Sisson with a groundball past the shortstop. Andrews laced a double down the left field line to drive in Curry and Kennemore, giving Wesleyan an early 3-0 lead.
After scoring two runs in the second, Hillsdale took a 6-3 lead in the third off of a two-out grand slam.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, three straight hits from Sisson, Kennemore and Burke tied the game at six. Sisson and Kennemore both tabbed RBI doubles to right center before Burke knocked a single through the left side, scoring Kennemore.
The Panthers took the lead in the bottom of fifth after Puckett hit a single through the right side, loading the bases with two outs. Sisson drew a walk to score Andrews.
Burke led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run to left center for his third home run of the season. With two on and two outs, Ben Wilcoxson laid down a double in right field, plating the final two runs for the Panthers.
Sisson finished game two three-for-three to go five-for-six on the day. Burke and Andrews both recorded two hits in the night cap.
Ryan Hundley went 2.2 innings in his fifth start of the season. Hundley gave up six runs off of seven hits.
Taylor Soper picked up his first win of the season, striking out four in 4.1 innings. The sophomore held the Chargers scoreless while holding them to three hits.
The Panthers close out the series with Hillsdale on Sunday with a 7 inning game followed by a 9 inning game. First pitch is schedule for 12 pm CT at Panther Park.
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