FINDLAY, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan baseball team (12-14, 2-6 G-MAC) suffered two walk-off losses to the Findlay Oilers to close their four-game set on Sunday.
The first game of the doubleheader was a pitcher's duel. The Oilers (15-9, 7-1 G-MAC) scored a first inning run off Panthers starter Cole Peaslee, but Findlay could only muster one more run over the next five innings against him.
In the top of the fourth, Wesleyan's offense finally got going. Colson Perry led off with a double and Baron Ratliff followed with a double of his own to drive in Perry. Ratliff moved to third on a groundout before Ellis Hurt came up and hit the Panthers' third double of the frame to score Ratliff and put KWC on top 2-1.
The Oilers immediately tied the game 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth, and neither team could find any offense headed into the seventh.
Elijah Stockton knocked a one-out single and Liam Hutson doubled in the top of the seventh to put two runners in scoring position with two outs, but Wesleyan couldn't get the leading run home.
The Oilers used a walk and multiple stolen bases to put the winning run on third and ultimately drove that runner home to claim the seven-inning affair in walk-off fashion.
Peaslee earned a no-decision and only allowed two earned over 6.0 innings pitched with six strikeouts.
KWC jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the day's second game behind a strong start by Noah Cook (8.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 SO). In the top of the third, Liam Hutson worked a walk and Jacob Riegel singled to put two on with one out. After the second out was recorded, Rhett Dysholm delivered with a single up the middle to drive in Hutson. Hurt followed with his own single to score Riegel and put the Panthers up 2-0.
Riegel led the top of the fifth off with a walk and advanced to second on the ensuing groundout, and Dysholm came up next and doubled down the right field line to plate Riegel. Tucker Hagan later hit a fly ball to right field that was misplayed by the outfielder, allowing Dysholm to score and increase Wesleyan's advantage to 4-0.
Findlay scored their first two runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull within two in the nine-inning contest, but KWC earned one run right back in the top of the seventh. Hurt singled, Hagan walked, and Logan Molnar walked to load the bases with one out. After a pitching change and a strikeout, Davin Yates was hit by a pitch that allowed Hurt to cross the plate and give the Panthers a 5-2 lead.
Craziness ensued in the bottom of the ninth for the Oilers. Using a couple walks and two doubles, the Oilers tied the game at 5-5 with two outs before the home team knocked yet another walk-off single to sweep the series.
Dysholm racked up three hits, a double, and two RBIs. Hurt had two hits and an RBI, and Yates recorded the only other extra-base hit with a double.
Wesleyan next hosts Tiffin for a four-game set at Panther Park next weekend. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 28th, at 12:00 PM live on FloCollege.
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