OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan baseball team (5-3, 0-0 G-MAC) impressed in every facet of the game Friday afternoon, defeating Southwest Baptist 8-1 at Panther Park.
Evan Oakley, the reigning G-MAC South Division Athlete of the Week, worked around a single and had some help from his catcher, Colson Perry, with a caught stealing to post a zero in the first.
A two-out rally plated the Panthers first run in the bottom half. Rhett Dysholm and Baron Ratliff each singled to set up Michael Chaney, who followed with a single of his own to score Dysholm and give Wesleyan a quick 1-0 lead.
The Bearcats (2-5, 0-0 GLVC) went three up, three down in the second before KWC got back to work at the plate. Tucker Hagan doubled to right field before Liam Hutson, who totaled four hits on the day, drove Hagan in to extend the Panthers' advantage to 2-0.
Oakley (W, 2-0) continued to cruise in the third, striking out three while working around an error. In the bottom half, Wesleyan's offense broke the game open. Dysholm singled and Ratliff was hit by a pitch to set up Chaney once again. The sophomore delivered with a double to score Dysholm, and Perry followed with an RBI groundout that scored Ratliff.
Ellis Hurt came up next and knocked a double just over the center fielder's glove that allowed Chaney to cross the plate. Hagan put a bow on the inning with another hit that drove in Hurt and sent KWC to the fourth up 6-0.
Oakley again forced Southwest Baptist to go down in order before Wesleyan added yet another run in the bottom half. Hutson and Dysholm both singled before Chaney later came up and recorded his third hit to plate Dysholm and increase KWC's lead to 7-0.
The fifth inning was nearly the same as the fourth. Oakley blanked the Bearcats again, this time working around a single, and the Panthers logged their final run in the bottom half. Hagan walked, Hutson singled, and Logan Molnar worked a walk to load the bases with two outs. Dysholm strolled to the plate next and earned his own walk to score Hagan, extending Wesleyan's advantage to 8-0.
Oakley completed two more shutout innings to finalize another fantastic line: 7.0 innings pitched, 4 hits, and 10 K's with zero extra base hits allowed for the second consecutive start.
Weston Miller came on for the eighth and pitched around some traffic to post a zero. The sophomore came back out for the ninth and walked the first two batters before being replaced by Dysholm to close the game out.
The senior, who totaled three hits and an RBI at the plate, forced two flyouts and a groundout while only allowing one of those inherited runners to score to cap off Wesleyan's 8-1 triumph.
Each of Hutson (4 hits, 1 RBI, 1 run), Chaney (3 hits, 3 RBI, 1 run), Dysholm (3 hits, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 runs), and Hagan (2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 runs) recorded multi-hit outings.
Wesleyan is right back to it tomorrow, Saturday, February 21st, for a doubleheader against the Bearcats beginning at 12:00 PM at Panther Park. Fans can watch live on FloCollege.
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