MARION, Ind. -- The Indiana Wesleyan University baseball team split a doubleheader with No. 7-ranked Spring Arbor (Mich.) University on Wednesday afternoon on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan.
Indiana Wesleyan?s victory over Spring Arbor ends the Cougars? 25 game win streak in the Mid-Central College Conference dating back to 2005-06. Last season, Spring Arbor went 22-0 during the conference season.
The Wildcats (12-8, 5-1 MCC) picked up the victory in the opening game 4-1 and lost a slugfest 10-7 in the nightcap.
IWU senior Shay Harden carried the Wildcats in the first game with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, highlighted by a fifth inning grand slam. That would be all the support senior Brandon Moore would need as he pitched a gem to push his record to 5-1 on the mound. Moore went the distance and allowed one run ? unearned ? on four hits while striking out seven.
Spring Arbor (7-3, 3-1 MCC) ended the nine game win streak by Indiana Wesleyan in game two behind an early offensive attack.
The Cougars pounced to a 7-0 advantage after two innings and never trailed throughout the game. Trailing 9-3 in the fifth, Indiana Wesleyan clawed back with a four run inning to bring the deficit to two runs at 9-7. Spring Arbor added an insurance run in the seventh before closing out the Wildcats in a 10-7 game.
Junior first baseman Brandon Beach plated five RBIs as he went 2-for-3 at the plate, including a bases clearing triple in the fifth inning. Senior designated hitter Nick Millspaugh earned three walks and Harden scored twice in the loss.
Indiana Wesleyan and Spring Arbor return to action tomorrow, March 27 as the two conference foes battle again in doubleheader action. Game time is set for 1 p.m. in Spring Arbor, Michigan.