BASEBALL

The #19 Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats (34-11, 23-3) used their last at-bat in both games Saturday afternoon to top the #RV Forester baseball team, 5-4, 4-3, to claim the four-game sweep over their visitors at IWU Baseball Field.

The Wildcats, who entered the day holding ten Top 10 national rankings including the No. 2 spot in total hits (455) and No. 6 spot in total runs scored (385), tapped into that success in the opener by plating two runs in the bottom of the ninth to log a 5-4 win.

In addition to taking advantage of two walks, one of which was intentional, the hosts relied on three straight hits including a walk-off single to turn their 4-3 deficit into a one-run win.

The Foresters, on the other hand, found their groove at the plate in the first few innings. Satchell Wilson launched a two-run shot over the left field fence in the top of the first for an early 2-0 lead. The Wildcats got one back in the next frame, but Daniel Lichty added to HU’s total in the third when he found a gap in left-center to drive in Langston Ginder and Ian McCutcheon, both of whom reached on IWU errors.

It was all Wesleyan after that as HU managed just two hits the rest of the way while the hosts found home twice in the seventh and then waited until the ninth to notch the come-from-behind win.

After Joey Butz tossed the first six frames where he gave up a hit, run and four walks while striking out three, Brent Turner spent the last 2.1 innings on the bump to be charged with the loss having yielded five hits, four runs and two walks while striking out one.

In the nightcap, Kallen Kelsheimer’s single to right in the top of the seventh knotted things up at 3-3 but just like game one, the Wildcats answered in their half of the frame by way of another walk-off RBI-single to enjoy the last say.

The Foresters’ other two runs came in the fourth and fifth with Wilson driving in his team’s first run and Max Moser knocking one out of the park, his second of the series, to draw even with IWU who had held a 2-0 lead after two.

Jarett Gray finished with three of HU’s seven hits.  Mason Shinabery was handed the loss. He went the distance to give up nine hits, four runs and a walk while fanning eight.

The Foresters (24-12, 17-11) take a break from league action on Tuesday to host Lourdes for a single-nine at 4:30 p.m.