OWENSBORO, KY. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team out-slugged Ashland University on Friday afternoon earning a 16-1 victory in the series opener. The Eagles managed to escape the day with split as they took game two 2-1 in extra innings.
 
In the final series of the 2022 regular season the Panthers continued to flex by putting up 16 runs in the series opener. The first time through the order, was simple for the Eagles (30-16, 21-9 GMAC) as the game was knotted in a scoreless tie after three innings. In the fourth inning, the Panthers scored twice as Hunter Combs and Cade Gudalis each recorded RBI singles in the frame.
 
The biggest inning of the season came in the bottom of the fifth as the Panthers scored 13 times to take a 15-0 lead. Wesleyan did all its damage with two outs in the frame. Both Jaret Humphrey and Sammy Rowan each connected on three-run homeruns in the inning while Robert Chayka drove-in two with a single into left. Rowan accounted for an RBI earlier in the frame to record four RBIs in the inning.
 
Seth Wright needed little help on the day as he earned his fifth win of the season with six innings of work, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts. Liam Samuels cleaned up the last three innings with three strikeouts to earn the save.
 
Rowan finished the game three for four with a homerun and four RBIs. Hunter Combs was three for six with three RBIs.
 
Brayden Bush was embattled in a pitcher's dual in the second game as Ashland scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to take a 1-0 lead. Bush allowed just one run on five hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work.
 
The Panthers found a way to earn the run back, pulling evening in the sixth inning. Reece Puckett singled to lead off the frame and stole second only to advance to third on a bad throw that went into centerfield. Ben Wilcoxson then pushed a ground ball towards the right side of the infield to even the score at 1-1.
 
Wesleyan looked to walk off the game in the seventh as Rowan walked to lead off the inning. He stole second and moved to third on an errant through into second base with one out. However, the Eagles got out of the inning with a strikeout and groundout.
 
The Eagles plated a run in the eighth and put the Panthers down in order in the bottom half to secure a split.
 
Puckett was two for three in game two with a stole base and run scored.
 
The Panthers will host Ashland two more times on Saturday. First pitch at Panther Park is scheduled for 12 PM.
 
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