MARION, Ind. -- Huntington (Ind.) defeated Indiana Wesleyan University 9-6 and 8-4 today in a baseball doubleheader at Wildcat Field.

The Wildcats seemed to have the opener in hand with a 6-3 lead heading into the seventh inning. But the Forester bats put a six spot on the scoreboard for the 9-6 victory.

The Foresters scored a pair of runs in the first inning but the Wildcats responded with three in the home half. All three runs came with two outs in the inning. Jack Collingsworth, Jr. started the big inning with an RBI double to deep center field. AJ Harris followed with an RBI double and Craig Nesselhuf added a run scoring single for the 3-2 lead.

The Foresters tied the score with a run in the third inning but the Wildcats quickly regained the lead with a run in the fourth inning on a RBI single by Trey Shigley. IWU added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning. Caleb Birkey drew a bases loaded walk and Shigley hit a sac fly for the 6-3 lead. The Wildcats had the bases loaded with one out but a fielder’s choice to home plate and a pop out ended the threat with three left on base.

But the Foresters exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 9-6 advantage. They scored the six runs on four hits and two costly errors.

Starting pitcher Justin Sovine allowed six runs -- five earned -- on six hits in 6.1 innings. He walked one and struck out five. Nesselhuf finished 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI while Collingsworth was 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI.

Game two saw Huntington score in each of the first four innings for an early 6-4 lead after four frames. Preston Fugita scored in the first inning for Indiana Wesleyan on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Collingsworth as IWU trimmed the deficit to 2-1. Indiana Wesleyan came to bat in the third inning trailing 5-1 before a three run outburst made it a 5-4 game. Collingsworth hit a two-run triple and he later scored on a Logan Tomlinson single.

But IWU could only manage three hits over the final four innings as they fell 8-4.

Jake Worrell was the losing pitcher as he gave up seven runs -- six earned -- on 10 hits in 5.2 innings. Fugita finished 3-for-4 with two runs and Collingsworth had three RBIs.

Indiana Wesleyan and Huntington will finish their season series on Saturday in Huntington. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.