WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University baseball and Grace (Ind.) each won a game today as the teams split a doubleheader at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana. The games were moved south to the field turf park as Wildcat Field was not playable today.
Indiana Wesleyan won the first game on Thursday by a 7-3 score while Grace earned a split with a 3-0 shutout in the nightcap. IWU moves to 5-15 this season and 2-2 in the Crossroads League.
In the first game, AJ Harris (SO/Temecula, Calif.) put Indiana Wesleyan in the lead in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI double. Grace tied the score 1-1 in the fifth inning with a squeeze bunt and took the lead later in the inning with another squeeze play.
But in the home half of the fifth inning the Wildcats reclaimed the lead with four runs for a 5-2 advantage. Preston Fugita (JR/Littleton, Colo.) began the rally with an RBI single and Jack Collingsworth, Jr. (SO/Apple Valley Calif.) followed with another RBI single to put the Wildcats up 3-2. With the bases loaded, Cody Calvert (JR/Godfrey, Ill.) and Harris each drew walks to force in runs as IWU led 5-2.
Indiana Wesleyan added two insurance runs in the sixth inning to increase the lead to 7-2 as Fugita and Collingsworth, Jr. each added RBI singles. Grace added a run in the seventh inning for the 7-3 final score.
Matt Blankenship (SO/Cincinnati, Ohio) was stellar in a complete game victory. Blankenship scattered 9 hits as he allowed 3 runs with 10 strikeouts. Collingsworth, Jr. led the offense with three hits while Fugita, Calvert, and Harris all added two.
The Lancers recovered to win the second game and salvage a split. Bryan Beachy (JR/Kokomo, Ind.) started for the Wildcats and went the distance but suffered the loss in the 3-0 decision.
Grace scored twice in the third inning on a sac fly and an RBI single. They added an unearned run in the fourth inning when a Lancer reached base on an error and scored on a double.
Indiana Wesleyan and Grace continue their series tomorrow as the two teams are scheduled to play another doubleheader at Wildcat Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
