MARION, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University baseball claimed three out of four games during a weekend series with Bethel (Ind.) at Wildcat Field as they won both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday.
Indiana Wesleyan (20-20, 10-8 CL) won the opener as Jacob Murphy hit a walk-off single for the second time in as many games for the 7-6 victory. IWU completed the sweep with a 3-1 win in game two. Indiana Wesleyan and Bethel split the doubleheader on Saturday.
“I’m proud of the guys today,” said Indiana Wesleyan head coach Chad Newhard. “They battled well and got two team victories. We got a lot of different contributions from guys. We don’t have a go-to guy and that’s the beauty of this team. A lot of guys are going to contribute for us.”
Indiana Wesleyan held a 5-3 lead into the seventh inning of the opening contest today. But Bethel scored three runs on three hits to take a 6-5 lead. BC did leave the bases loaded.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Caleb Birkey, Thomas Barnes, and Cam Screeton all singled to load the bases with no outs. Following a pitching change, Logan Tomlinson popped out in foul territory and a Craig Nesselhuf bunt attempt popped straight up for an easy second out. Jacob Murphy stepped to the plate in a familiar situation as he had the walk-off single in the second game vs. Bethel on Friday night. Murphy followed last night’s script with a single that stayed just fair inside the third base line to score two runs for the 7-6 walk-off victory.
Devin Ruppert (3-1) earned the victory for Indiana Wesleyan as he retired the final two outs in the seventh inning. Starting pitcher Justin Sovine had a no-decision with six runs -- four earned -- in 6.1 innings.
Barnes and Caleb Birkey each finished the game with two hits while Jacob Murphy was 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs scored, and two knocked in. Kaleb DeFreese contributed a double and a stolen base.
In the finale, Jacob Gividen was stellar in a complete game effort. He allowed one run on three hits in 7.0 innings. Gividen struck out seven Pilots.
“Jacob Gividen threw awesome today,” said Newhard. “His command of his fast ball and breaking ball kept them off balance. Those runs early were critical for us with how he pitched today.”
The Wildcats quickly plated two runs in the first inning. With runners on the corners, Nesselhuf laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Screeton from third base. Tomlinson raced around second and reached third on the bunt and the throw to get him at third base got away which allowed him to score the second run of the inning.
The Pilots (9-19, 6-12 CL) cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the second inning but the Wildcats got it back in the home half. Birkey drilled a two out RBI double to score courtesy runner Taylor Staff for the 3-1 lead. Neither team scored in the final five innings.
Birkey was 2-for-2 with an RBI and Cody Calvert finished 2-for-3. Tomlinson and DeFreese had the other two Wildcat hits as they outhit the Pilots 6-3.
Indiana Wesleyan next plays a four game series with Taylor (Ind.) in Upland, Indiana. The first doubleheader will be on Thursday at 2 p.m.
