OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team bounced back with a pair of 3-1 wins on Sunday to salvage a series split against Great Midwest Athletic Conference foe Walsh University. Ian Ellis provided a walk off home run in game one before Lane Kennemore recorded a pair of one-run doubles in game two.
Game 1: Walsh 1 – KWC 3 (7 innings)
Devin Smith didn't let a nearly three and a half hour rain delay phase him on the mound. The junior held the Cavaliers to a .192 batting average with five hits. Smith struck out 10 in 6.2 innings while giving up one run.
Walsh struck first with a two-out RBI single in the top of the third. Smith worked a 1-2-3 inning in both the fourth and fifth to keep it a one-run ball game.
Ethan Maxey knotted the game at one in the bottom of the fifth with a double to center field, driving in Ian Ellis from first on a perfectly executed hit and run.
The Cavs put two runners in scoring position with one out in the top of the sixth, but Smith forced a ground out and pop up to maintain the tie game.
Nolan Johnson entered the game in the top of the seventh with two on and two out, forcing a groundout and going on to pick up his first win of the season.
Chase Andrews led off the bottom of the seventh, getting hit by a pitch and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from Cam Curry. Ellis sealed the walk off win with a two-run home run to left for his second home run of the season.
Game 2: Walsh 1 – KWC 3
In the bottom of the third with two outs and a runner on a second, Brayden Sisson lined a single to left field, driving in Ben Wilcoxson. Lane Kennemore then hit a double off the wall in center, scoring Sisson and giving Wesleyan a 2-0 lead after three.
It was déjà vu in the fifth with Kennemore knocking another double and scoring Sisson from first.
Walsh responded with a lead off home run in the sixth to cut the deficit to two but stranded three runners in the final three innings to fall short.
Zach Burton picked up his second win of the season, striking out seven and allowing one run off of five hits in 7.0 innings. Heath Brownley retired the lone batter he faced in the eighth. Joey Lara worked 0.2 innings, forcing a ground out and fly out. Alex Franzen earned his fourth save of the season, throwing the final 1.0 innings and allowing one hit.
The Panthers hit the road next week for their first of three straight weekend road trips. Wesleyan heads to Cedarville for a four-game series with the Yellow Jackets on Friday and Saturday.
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