OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball closed out its Great Midwest Athletic Conference series with Hillsdale College on Sunday, splitting the doubleheader. Devin Smith threw a complete game for his third win of the season in game one before the Panthers fell in extras in game two.
After a 3-1 weekend, Wesleyan moved to 10-12 on the season and 5-3 in G-MAC play while the Chargers sit at 7-13 overall and 4-4 in conference action.
Game 1: Hillsdale 3 – KWC 6 (7 innings)
Devin Smith picked up his third win of the season, throwing a complete game with a season high 10 strike outs. The junior allowed three runs off of seven hits and one walk.
Wesleyan plated their first run in the second inning have two straight hits from Ethan Maxey and Ben Wilcoxson. Maxey laced a single through the left side before Wilcoxson beat the shift with a double to right field, scoring Lane Kirkland.
Lane Kennemore tabbed a double in the bottom of the third before Joseph Burke and Cam Curry both drew walks to load the bases with one out. It took just one swing for all three to come home as Chase Andrews belted a grand slam to left field for his team-leading fourth home run of the season.
The Chargers responded with a home run of their own in the top of the fourth, a three-run shot to right center, making it a 5-3 ballgame.
Reece Puckett drove in the Panthers final run in the bottom of the sixth with a single through the left side with two runners on.
Smith held Hillsdale to just two hits in the final three innings, not allowing a base runner past first.
Game 2: Hillsdale 4 – KWC 3 (10 innings)
The Panthers put up one run in each of the first innings to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Wesleyan didn't get a hit in the first inning, but a two hit batters and a fielding error allowed Wesleyan to score first. Hillsdale knotted the game at one in the top of the second with a lead off solo home run.
Maxey led off the bottom of the second with a triple off the wall in right center and scored two batter later as Brayden Sisson lined a single up the middle.
With two outs and one on in the third, Ian Ellis laid down a double in right center, scoring Andrews from first base and putting the Panthers ahead 3-1.
Zach Burton held the Chargers to one hit in the fifth and sixth to preserve the one-run lead. The game-tying run reached third and nearly scored on a bunt but Andrews was able to tag the runner out with an assist from Burke.
Hillsdale tabbed a double and a triple in the top of the seventh to tie the game at three. Both teams put a runner in scoring position in the ninth but neither was able to score, sending the game to extras.
The Chargers plated the game winning run in the top of the tenth. Wesleyan put the game-tying run on first but fell short of sweeping the weekend series.
Burton took a no decision after 6.1 innings of work with five strikeouts, five hits and three runs. Nolan Johnson faced one batter in the seventh, striking him out. Joey Lara threw 1.0 innings, striking out one and allowing two hits. Alex Franzen took his second loss of the season, going the final 2.1 innings with three strikeouts, one run and one hit.
The Panthers have a short road trip this upcoming weekend, heading to Nashville, Tenn. for a four-game series at Trevecca Nazarene University on Friday and Saturday.
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