MASON, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team pulled an upset in their first game of the 2019 Great Midwest Championship, defeating the No. 4 seed Lake Erie College, 11-6. The Panthers trailed 5-1 after the fourth, but a six-run ninth inning put the Panthers in the win column to kick off their quest for a G-MAC title.
Wesleyan got on the board first with a two-out RBI single from
Lane Kirkland in the fourth. The Storm responded with five runs in the bottom of the frame off of a three-run home run and a two-run double.
The Panthers answered back in the top of the fifth, plating three runs off of two hits. Wesleyan loaded the bases with no outs after a hit by pitch and two walks.
Chase Andrews lined a single to center field, scoring
Lane Kennemore. Two batters later,
Ethan Maxey laid down a single in right field, scoring
Joseph Burke and
Ben Wilcoxson to cut the deficit to one.
The top of the eighth saw Wesleyan pull within one. With two outs and
Ian Ellis on third,
Reece Puckett put a ground ball past the short stop, allowing Ellis to score.
Wilcoxson led off the top of the ninth with a single to left field and scored when Ellis drew a bases loaded walk with one out. Two batters later, Kirkland drew a bases loaded walk to put Wesleyan ahead 7-6.
The Panthers kept pounding in the ninth with Puckett lacing a single to left field, scoring
Cam Curry. Kennemore drove in two more with a single to right center before Wilcoxson drove in the final run.
Joey Lara closed out the game in the ninth, retiring all three batters to seal the win.
Devin Smith threw the first 4.0 innings, striking out five and allowing five runs off of seven hits.
Nolan Johnson went 3.0 innings allowing one run off of one hit.
Alex Franzen picked up the win with 1.0 innings of scoreless work.
All nine batters recorded hit for the Panthers with Andrews and Puckett tallying two. Kennemore, Maxey, Kirkland and Puckett each drove in two.
The Panthers await the winner of the No. 1 seed Malone University vs. No. 8 seed Alderson Broaddus University. Wesleyan will take on the winner at approximately 7 pm CT on Wednesday at Prasco Park.