Owensboro, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan baseball team split the final two games of their four-game set against Walsh on Sunday afternoon at Panther Park.
After the action, the Panthers celebrated Senior Day, with the following student-athletes being honored: Ben Brombaugh, Bryant Byrd, Reece Davis, Braxton French, Cade Gudalis, Chase Harlan, Isaac Rose, Gavin Simpkins, Owen Stevenson, Ryan Trokey, Tate VanHooser, and Braden Vinyard.
Game 3, just like Game 1 on Saturday, was a pitcher's duel. Both teams failed to scratch a run across in the seven regulation innings, with Cole Peaslee (6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 8 SO) throwing an absolute gem to keep the Cavaliers off the board.
The game, which was scheduled to be a seven-inning affair, was forced into extras and Walsh woke up in the extra frame. The Cavaliers poured in five runs in the top of the eighth, taking command at 5-0, and that score would be the final as Wesleyan couldn't respond in the bottom half.
Game 4 was all Panthers from the outset. After a scoreless first from Josh Tucker, who also had a stellar outing (6.0 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 8 SO), Wesleyan went to work at the plate. Liam Hutson worked a walk, Davis did the same, and Rhett Dysholm singled to load the bases. Colson Perry came through with an RBI run to push a run across before Gudalis launched a grand slam, the first of the season for the Panthers and Gudalis' third home run of the year, to put Wesleyan on top 5-0.
Just an inning later, Gudalis drove another run in with a single after Davis and Dysholm both walked again, increasing the Panthers' advantage to 6-0.
Walsh tacked on a run in the top of the third, but Wesleyan got it right back in the bottom half. Hutson was hit by a pitch, Davis walked again, and Dysholm singled up the middle to drive Hutson home and return the Panthers to a six-run lead at 7-1.
Wesleyan continued their stretch of scoring in every inning, adding three more runs in the fourth. Gudalis and VanHooser both singled before Elijah Stockton reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at first and third. Davin Yates was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jase Mizell, who doubled down the right field line to drive in two runs. Hutson followed with a groundout to the pitcher that allowed Yates to cross the plate to make the score 10-1.
The Panthers just could not be stopped offensively, tallying two additional runs in the fifth. Perry singled before VanHooser lifted his fifth home run of the campaign over the left field wall to put Wesleyan up 11 runs at 12-1.
The Cavaliers scored their second run in the top of the sixth, but that was as close as the road team would come. Jacob Dilday and Byrd combined to close the game out in the seventh and salvage a victory in the series.
The Panthers are now 1.5 games back in the South Division heading into their final series of the regular season. Kentucky Wesleyan will battle Ohio Dominican in a four-game series this weekend in Columbus, Ohio, looking to claim a divisional crown.
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