MARION, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University has won their last three Mid-Central College Conference games to improve their record to 8-8 in the conference following a doubleheader sweep of visiting Grace (Ind.) College on Tuesday at Wildcat Field.
The Wildcats won the twinbill with a 2-1 victory in eight innings in the opener before cruising to a 5-0 win in the nightcap.
Starting pitcher Sam Lewis was stellar in the opener with a complete game victory. He retired the first 10 batters he faced en route to one run over eight innings of work. Lewis allowed three hits and four walks while striking out six Lancers to improve to 3-3 on the season.
Trailing 1-0 in the sixth, Indiana Wesleyan would tie the score in the bottom half of the inning. Second baseman Brice Davis hit a clutch two-out single to right center field to score centerfielder CJ Sandmann. The score remained 1-1 until the eighth.
Shortstop Josh Ellis and designated hitter Quinn Nofziger began the inning with back-to-back singles. Sandmann laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Grace third baseman Cody Barrier bobbled the ball to load the bases for Indiana Wesleyan with nobody out.
Rightfielder Derek Freds promptly singled to center for the 2-1 walk-off win in extra innings.
Sandmann finished 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored while Freds and Davis supplied both RBI's for Indiana Wesleyan.
The Wildcats (17-23, 8-8 MCC) received just as good as pitching in the nightcap by starting pitcher Jonathan Bastian. The senior finished with a complete game, 3-hit shutout to improve to 1-3 on the mound. Bastian walked one batter while punching out seven.
The little run support that Bastian would need he got very early in the game. IWU scored the eventual game-winning run in the second inning and added four more in the third.
Indiana Wesleyan's run in the second came without a hit as Grace (13-19, 3-11 MCC) committed three errors in the inning. Freds reached first on a fielding error by Barrier at third base but would reach third on the same play after Barrier compounded the situation with a wild throw to first. With two outs in the inning, Barrier bobbled a groundball from first baseman Kyle Beachy which allowed Freds to score the go-ahead run.
Both teams completed the second game with five hits, but Indiana Wesleyan benefitted from seven Grace errors in the game.
Catcher Alex Ridlen was 2-for-3 at the dish with two RBI's and leftfielder Craig Dollens hit 1-for-2 with one RBI. Ellis added a 1-for-2 day at the plate with a run scored while Beachy had a stolen base and one RBI.
Indiana Wesleyan remains at home for their next games which will be at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 14. IWU will welcome cross-county rival Taylor (Ind.) University for two games at Wildcat Field.
Click for box scores: Game 1 | Game 2
