MASON, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan baseball team erased a seven-run deficit with an eight-run seventh inning before ultimately prevailing 10-8 over Cedarville in their opening game at the G-MAC Tournament on Wednesday.
With the win, the Panthers advanced to the semifinals of Pool B versus Ashland at 12:30 PM CT tomorrow. To view the full bracket, click here.
The afternoon did not start as hoped for Wesleyan as the No. 5-seeded Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three and a half innings. The Panthers got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on a no-doubt home run by Baron Ratliff, his seventh of the season.
Cedarville added a run in the fifth and two in the seventh to extend their advantage to 8-1, putting the Panthers' backs against the wall early in the tournament. Headed into the bottom half of the seventh, it was becoming make-or-break time for Wesleyan.
Logan Molnar, who had a team-high four hits in the game, led off the frame with a double to left center. Tucker Hagan followed with a single and Elijah Stockton was hit by a pitch to set up Liam Hutson with the bases loaded and no outs. Hutson, a G-MAC All-Conference Second Team honoree, came through with a single up the middle to plate two runs and pull KWC within five at 8-3.
After the Yellow Jackets went to the bullpen, Wesleyan kept their foot on the gas. Jacob Riegel, a fellow G-MAC All-Conference Second Team honoree, doubled over the center fielder's head to drive in Stockton before Ratliff worked a walk to once again load the bases still with no outs. Rhett Dysholm, likewise named to the G-MAC All-Conference Second Team, tallied the biggest hit of the game with a bases-clearing double down the left field line to cut KWC's deficit to 8-7.
After yet another pitching change by Cedarville, Ellis Hurt walked and Colson Perry laid down a sacrifice bunt to move two runners into scoring position with one out. Molnar came up for the second time in the inning and slapped an infield single to drive in Dysholm, and Hagan followed with his second single of the frame to plate Hurt and put the Panthers on top at 9-8 headed into the final two innings.
Josh Tucker (W, 5-3), who came on in relief of starting pitcher Evan Oakley after just 3.2 innings, stayed in for the eighth and completed a strong outing with a 1-2-3 frame. Tucker struck out six and allowed just three runs across 4.1 innings pitched.
Wesleyan managed to add one more run in the bottom of the eighth. Ratliff doubled and advanced to third on a flyout to set up Hurt, who singled through the right side to drive in Ratliff and double KWC's advantage at 10-8.
The Yellow Jackets' Eli Henderson roped a double to lead off the top of the ninth before head coach Todd Lillpop called on closer David Castleberry (S, 7). The righty forced a popup for the inning's first out, but a single by Max Doepker put runners on first and third with just one out. The next Cedarville hitter lined out to Ratliff in right field and Doepker, who was off on the pitch, could not scramble back to first in time as Ratliff threw him out at first for the game-ending double play.
Each of Riegel, Ratliff, Dysholm, Hurt, Molnar, and Hagan had multi-hit outings in the victory. Molnar's four hits and Dysholm's three hits and three RBIs powered the offense in the successful comeback.
Again, Wesleyan is back at Prasco Park tomorrow, Thursday, May 7th, for a Pool B semifinal matchup versus top-seeded Ashland at 12:30 PM CT. All G-MAC Tournament action will be streamed live on FloCollege.
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