OWENSBORO, KY. – Devin Smith was brilliant in his third start of the season while the Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team shined offensively on an overcast day at Panther Park. The Panthers, after a week on hiatus, returned to the diamond and opened Great Midwest Conference action against Ohio Valley University. Wesleyan swept the day with a 22-0 shutout in the opener followed by a 7-5 come-from-behind win in the day's finale.
 
Game 1: OVU 0, KWC 22
The Panthers (5-3, 2-0 GMAC) gave Smith plenty of offense early as they scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ian Ellis started the rally with a one-out single. The Panthers loaded the bases for Cody Bridges who knocked-in a pair with a single through the middle. Lane Kennemore, Joseph Burke, and Hunter Combs each drove-in a run in the frame.
 
The bats were not finished as they added two more in the bottom of the fourth. Smith was dominate as the lone baserunner through the first six innings reached on a walk and was quickly erased on a pick-off. After adding another run in the fifth, Smith and the Panthers had an 8-0 lead. The lead nearly doubled with a seven-run sixth as Burke knocked-in two with a double down the line.
 
Burke had a monster day at the plate, highlighted by a grand slam in seventh. He finished three for four with a double, homerun, and seven RBIs. He also was intentionally walked and hit-by-pitch. Smith did not allow a hit until the seventh inning as he won his second game of the season after completing seven innings, allowing just the one hit with seven strikeouts and two walks. Riley Ferguson pitched two shut-out innings of relief.
 
Bridges finished the game with four hits, including a double and stolen base. Both Ellis and Chase Andrews collected three hits in the game.
 
Game 2: OVU 5, KWC 7
The Fighting Scots (3-13, 1-9 GMCA) took the lead in the top of the second inning by plating a pair of runs. Ellis drove-in the Panthers first run of the game with a one-out double down the leftfield line. Wesleyan added two more runs in the frame to take a 3-2 lead.
 
The lead was short lived as OVU added two more runs in the top of the fourth. Burke walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth and eventually came around to score and tie the game on Robert Chayka's single into right.
 
The dramatics came in the bottom of the sixth with Bridges leading off the inning with a single that hit the pitcher's leg and caromed over the short. Kennemore was hit during his at-bat which gave the Panthers two on and no out for Burke. After a fly-outs by Burke and Hunter Combs, Chayka reached on sharply hit ball to third that was thrown over first base, allowing Bridges to score. Andrews drove-in two more with a single up the middle and the Panthers had a 7-4 lead.
 
The Fighting Scots threatened in the top of the seventh by bringing the tying run to the plate, but Bo Robison recorded the final two outs to earn his first save of the season.
 
Bridges was three for four in the day's finale with an RBI. Andrews was two for three with a double and two RBIs. CJ Fairchild earned the win after pitching six innings, allowing four runs, two earned on five hits with five strikeouts.
 
The Panthers will play two more against Ohio Valley on Saturday at Panther Park. First pitch is scheduled for 12 PM CT.
 
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