MARION, Ind. -- The home opening doubleheader for the Indiana Wesleyan University baseball team could not have gone any better Wednesday afternoon at sunny Wildcat Field.
With sunny skies and the temperature in the 60's, Indiana Wesleyan completed a sweep of Siena Heights by scores of 5-3 and 7-0.
Indiana Wesleyan never trailed the entire afternoon as IWU scored three runs in the second inning in game one. Following Siena Heights' run in the fourth inning, Indiana Wesleyan added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Wildcat starting pitcher Jordan Vannoy was pulled after six innings. Vannoy scattered five hits and struck out three while one unearned run scored.
Quinn Nofziger was brought in to close out the game in the seventh and he quickly got in trouble. The Saints scored a pair of runs and had the tying run on base before Nofziger was able to induce a fly ball for the 5-3 IWU victory.
Third baseman Jonathan Bastian and leftfielder TJ Fletcher each knocked in two runs while designated hitter Peter Engle had one RBI.
Indiana Wesleyan would close out the afternoon with a convincing 7-0 shutout in game two.
Starting pitcher Michael Caley went the distance on the mound for the Wildcats. He allowed eight hits in seven innings without allowing a run. Caley walked two and struck out one.
Indiana Wesleyan did all their scoring from the second to fourth innings. IWU opened the scoring in the second with a pair of runs, added three in the third and the final two runs came in the fourth inning.
Fletcher and designated hitter Alex Ridlen each finished the second game 2-for-3 at the dish with two RBI. Fletcher also scored a run and had two stolen bases. Rightfielder CJ Sandmann went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a stolen bases as the Wildcats had seven steals on the day.
Indiana Wesleyan improves its record to 7-11 this season after winning three of their last four games. Siena Heights drops to 5-11.
The Wildcats return to the diamond at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 20 as IWU hosts Aquinas (Mich.) College at Wildcat Field.
Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2
