OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team stunned league leader Malone University on Thursday afternoon, taking game one of the doubleheader 8-1 before falling in game two by a score of 6-2. The Panthers picked up their 19th Great Midwest Athletic Conference win of the season to move into sole possession of second place.
Game 1: MU 1 – KWC 8
Devin Smith was dominant on the mound once again, moving to 8-0 on the season. The junior struck out a season-high 13 batters in 7.0 innings, not allowing a base runner until the fourth inning and taking a no-hitter into the sixth. The 13 strikeouts is the third most strikeouts in a single game performance behind two outings from Matt Pobereyko in 2015.
Smith now leads the G-MAC in earned run average (1.74), strikeouts (86) and opponent's batting average (.190).
Wesleyan struck first in the bottom of the second, plating three runs off of three hits. With two outs Lane Kirkland doubled off the wall in left center, scoring Cam Curry from first base. Two batters later, Lane Kennemore tucked a single down the right field line, driving in Kirkland and Reece Puckett.
Malone's offense was shut down by Smith as he struck out the side in the second, third and fifth inning. The Pioneers got on the board in the seventh off a RBI double to cut Wesleyan's lead to two.
The Panthers responded with seven hits in the bottom of the seventh to break open the game with five more runs. Ben Wilcoxson recorded a one-run single before Curry drove in two with a double to right center. Ian Ellis tabbed a sacrifice fly before Curry scored on a wild pitch.
Nolan Johnson threw the final 2.0 innings, striking out one and allowing one hit.
Curry finished game one a perfect four-for-four at the plate with two runs scored and two driven in. Kennemore, Kirkland and Joseph Burke each recorded two hits. The Panthers tabbed 14 hits for their sixth game of the season with at least 13 hits.
Game 2: MU 6 – KWC 2 (7 innings)
Malone wasted no time getting on the board in game two, scoring two runs in the top of the first. The Pioneers added one run in the fifth and three in the seventh to take a 6-0 lead.
The Panthers put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh with Ellis scoring on a wild pitch and Wilcoxson driving in Puckett on a single up the middle but Malone held on for the 6-2 win.
Zach Burton moves to 4-2 on the season, going 5.0 innings with three strikeouts, six hits and three runs. Benton McGill went 2.0 innings with one strikeout, one hit and three runs.
The two teams will square off again on Friday with a doubleheader set for 12 pm CT.
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