EVANSVILLE, Ky. – The offense came alive for the Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team on Tuesday night, posting a 12-7 non-conference victory over the University of Southern Indiana.
The Screaming Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first but the Panthers responded with nine runs over the next two innings to take a 9-1 lead.
Cam Curry led off the top of the second with a double to right center and moved to third on a single from Ben Wilcoxson. Reece Puckett drew a walk with the bases loaded to plate the first run for Wesleyan. Brayden Sisson brought in two more runs after lacing a single down the right field line. Lane Kennemore laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring Puckett and capping off the four-run inning.
Wesleyan scored five more runs in the third, tallying five hits and taking advantage of two Southern Indiana errors. Ian Ellis drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Chase Andrews. Wilcoxson beat out a bunt to load the bases with one out before Puckett laid down a suicide squeeze that was mishandled by the pitcher, allowing Curry to score.
With Brayden Sisson up to bat, a throwing error by the pitcher on a play at the plate allowed two more runs to score. The fifth and final run of the third was scored by Puckett on a wild pitch.
The Screaming Eagles responded with four runs in the bottom of the third, cutting Wesleyan's lead to 9-5. One more run in the fourth made it a three-run game entering the fifth.
Despite recording one hit in the fifth, the Panthers scored two runs to extend their lead. Kennemore was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Andrews drew a bases loaded walk, putting Wesleyan ahead 11-6.
Southern Indiana got one run back in the bottom of the seventh but it was déjà vu in the eighth with Puckett drawing a bases loaded walk, scoring the Panthers final run of the night. Wesleyan finished the game with three bases loaded walks plus one hit by pitch.
Taylor Soper took the no decision, striking out three in 3.0 innings with five runs off of six hits. Allen Howe worked one inning, allowing one run off of one hit.
Nolan Johnson picked up his second win of the season in 3.0 innings of work that included five strikeouts. The junior retired the first seven batters he faced, including a pair of one-two-three innings.
Joey Lara threw the final 2.0 innings, striking out two and holding the Eagles scoreless.
Curry finished three-for-four at the plate while Wilcoxson and Sisson both recorded two hits. Puckett went 0-1 with three walks and, two runs driven in and three runs scored.
The Panthers return home on Wednesday, hosting Oakland City University at 2 pm CT at Panther Park.
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