MASON, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team pulled off their second upset of the day on Wednesday night, routing the No. 1 seed Malone University by a score of 12-1 during day one of the 2019 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Championship.  Wesleyan pounded out 14 hits behind a gem on the mound from Chris Johnson.

The loss sends regionally-ranked Malone to the losers bracket where they will face Ohio Dominican in an elimination on Thursday morning while Wesleyan earned a day off and will face Tiffin on Friday.

Johnson fanned a season-high 10 batters, going the distance in his third win of the season.  The senior flirted with a shut out, not allowing a run until the sixth inning.  Johnson held the Pioneers to one run off of four hits.

The Panthers pounced early, scoring one run in both the first and second to take a 2-0 lead.  With two on and one out in the first, Chase Andrews grounded out but was able to drive in Lane Kennemore.  In the top of the second, Lane Kirkland recorded an RBI single, driving in Ian Ellis.

Wesleyan broke open the game in the fourth, scoring four runs off of five hits, all of which came with two outs.  Reece Puckett and Kennemore recorded back-to-back singles before Ben Wilcoxson laced a single through the right side, scoring Puckett.  Joseph Burke crushed a double down the left field line, scoring both Wilcoxson and Kennemore.  Andrews capped off the inning with a single, scoring Burke to put the Panthers ahead 6-0.

Ellis led off the fifth with a solo shot to left field for his eighth home run of the season.

Kennemore, Wilcoxson and Burke combined for three straight singles to lead off the sixth, plating one more run for the Panthers.  Ellis remained hot at the plate, driving in two with a double off the wall in left field.  Kirkland brought home the final two runs off the game for Wesleyan with a two-out double tucked down the right field line.

Kennemore and Burke both finished with three hits while Wilcoxson, Ellis and Kirkland recorded two.  Burke, Ellis and Kirkland each tallied three RBI's.

After a 2-0 day the Panthers remain in the winners bracket.  They earned the right to day off on Thursday, and will face the No. 7 seed Tiffin University Dragons on Friday.

Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.