HILLSDALE, Mich. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team clinched a spot at Prasco Park and the Great Midwest Conference Tournament on Sunday with a pair of wins over Hillsdale College. The Panthers dominated the series, outscoring the Chargers 39-14 in four games. On Sunday the Panthers won the day's opener 14-1 and made it a clean sweep of Hillsdale after a 10-4 victory in the finale.
The Panthers (22-24, 18-10) utilized another fast start to jump out to an early lead. The first three batters reach to load the bases for
Kyle Werries, who blasted a grand slam over the left-field fence to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead.
Leading 4-1 in the top of the fourth, the Panthers busted the game open with six runs in the frame.
Hunter Combs and
Cade Gudalis each drove-in two runs in the frame as Combs was the lone player to record an extra base hit in the inning.
Werries connected on his second homerun of the game in the fifth, this time a two-run shot over left-centerfield fence. The Panthers added another run in the seventh as
Austin Baugh earned his second win of the season after a complete game. Baugh allowed one run on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Werries was three for three with two homeruns and seven RBIs.
Robert Chayka also had a three-hit game with an RBI.
In game two, the Chargers (18-25, 11-17 GMAC) took the early lead with a solo homerun in the bottom of the first. However, the Panthers responded with three runs in top of the second.
Kyle Richardson supplied the power surge in the frame, clubbing a three-run homerun over the leftfield fence.
The scoring did not stop there as Werries drove-in two more runs with single in the top of the third while
Jaret Humphrey followed with a two-run homerun. An RBI double in the fourth by Chayka extended the Panthers' lead to 8-1. The offense gave
Coy Burns two more runs in the top of the seventh.
Burns picked-up his fourth win of the year after 6.2 innings of work, allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts.
Nate Cunningham and
Drake Hamil bridged the Panthers to the final out, securing a 10-4 win.
Richardson finished the game three for four with a homerun and three RBIs.
Cameron Langston also secured a three-hit game with two runs scored.
With four games remaining the Panthers have secured a place in the Great Midwest Tournament. Wesleyan will return home to host Ashland on Friday afternoon. First pitch at Panther Park is scheduled for 12 PM.
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