MARION, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University baseball was glad it was able to play on soggy Wildcat Field tonight as the Wildcats swept visiting University of Saint Francis (Ind.) in a doubleheader.
Indiana Wesleyan beat Saint Francis by scores of 11-7 and 9-3 on a day that was quite windy with temperatures in the 40s. But after the sweep which moves the team to .500 overall (16-16-1) and 11-7 in the Crossroads League, no one was worried about the frigid weather.
In the opening game, Indiana Wesleyan scored single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings. Josh Ellis laid down a safety squeeze for the first run of the day, Brice Davis scored in the third inning on a passed ball, and Preston Fugita drew a bases loaded walk in the fourth for the early 3-0 lead.
Starting pitcher Shane Bryant pitched four scoreless innings before Saint Francis finally got on the scoreboard. USF scored two runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to a single run at 3-2.
Indiana Wesleyan quickly put some distance between them and Saint Francis with a five run bottom of the fifth. Cameron Screeton, Quinn Nofziger, and Fugita all had RBI base hits in the inning. After the frame IWU had built an 8-2 cushion.
The Cougars did not falter as they scored five runs of their own in the next half inning. After nearly surrendering the six run lead, the Wildcats scored three more in the bottom of the sixth for an 11-7 lead. All three runs in the inning came without the benefit of a hit.
Despite winning 11-7, Indiana Wesleyan was outhit 11-6 in the game. Nofziger, Fugita, Davis, Craig Dollens, Peter Engle, and Screeton each had one hit in the game. Screeton scored three times while Dollens and Engle each scored twice.
Bryant earned the complete game victory. He allowed seven runs -- four earned -- on 10 hits. He walked three and struck out two.
In the second game, Indiana Wesleyan was able to get off to a fast start with four runs in the first inning courtesy of three hits and three Saint Francis miscues. Dollens singled home the first run while a Chris Miller fly ball to left field was dropped which allowed Davis to score the second run. Screeton hit a two-out RBI single and the final run came on an infield error off the bat of Josh Ellis.
The Wildcats added one more run in the fourth on a two-out single by Fugita as the IWU lead grew to 5-0. The Cougars finally scored in the sixth inning to trim the deficit to 5-1 but IWU scored four more times in the home half, all with two outs. Screeton, Nofziger, and Fugita all doubled in the inning as IWU led 9-1.
Matt Blankenship made his first career start tonight and pitched phenomenally. He allowed one unearned run over 6.0 innings of works. Blankenship scattered four hits and two walks while striking out four.
Fugita was 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs, and two RBI while Dollens hit 2-for-4 with a run and one RBI. Screeton was the third Wildcat with two hits in the win.
