MASON, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team fought off elimination on Friday night, taking down the No. 2 seed Ohio Dominican Panthers by a score of 11-3. The Panthers advance to the Great Midwest Championship series for the third straight season, looking for their second title in three years.
The win also puts the Panthers at 30 wins on the season for the eighth time in program history. This marks Head Coach Todd Lillpop's fifth time in six seasons reaching the 30 win mark.
Wesleyan struck early, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Chase Andrews recorded an RBI single before Maxey drew a two-out walk with the bases loaded. Ohio Dominican got one run back in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run.
Reece Puckett led off the second with a single to left field, eventually scoring on two-out double from Joseph Burke that was tucked down the left field line. Ohio Dominican made it a one-run ball game in the bottom of the second, plating one run on a bases loaded walk.
Both offenses slowed down in the next three innings, combing for just two hits. Wesleyan broke open the game in the top of the sixth with a pair of home runs. Lane Kennemore belted his second career home run to left field. The junior's first career home run also came at Prasco in an elimination game last season, also in the sixth inning.
Two batters later Burke sent a no-doubter to left field, extending the Panthers lead to 6-2.
Ohio Dominican responded in the bottom of the inning with a two-out RBI double, cutting their deficit to three.
Neither team scored in the seventh but Wesleyan added five insurance runs in the top of the eighth. Puckett and Kennemore led off the frame with back-to-back singles before Ben Wilcoxson drove them both in with a single to right field that was misplayed by the Panther defense, allowing Wilcoxson to reach third. Burke followed that up with a RBI single before Chase Andrews laced a double to left center, scoring Burke. Ian Ellis capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Andrews.
Zach Burton picked up his fifth win of the season, going 7.0 innings with seven hits, three runs and four strikeouts. Joey Lara threw the final 2.0 innings, striking out three and holding the Panthers scoreless.
Puckett led the Panther offense, going four-for-five at the plate with three runs scored. Kennemore and Burke recorded three hits while Chase tabbed two.
Kentucky Wesleyan will now face the No. 7 seed Tiffin Dragons in the Great Midwest Championship series. The Panthers will have to beat them twice as the Dragons remain undefeated in the double elimination tournament.
