MARION, Ind. -- The Indiana Wesleyan University baseball team concluded the 2015 regular season schedule Thursday evening and split a non-league doubleheader with Goshen (Ind.) at Wildcat Field.
Indiana Wesleyan won the opening game 13-1 but lost the nightcap 6-4. Indiana Wesleyan heads to the postseason with a 24-28 record while Goshen ends their season at 9-40.
The Wildcats scored in each of the first five innings they came to bat en route to a 13-1 victory in the first game. IWU scored seven runs in the second inning to open up an 8-0 lead. All seven runs were unearned due to three Goshen errors.
Steve Cabe (JR/Niles, Mich.) earned the victory in relief with one run in 4.0 innings. Cabe allowed five hits and two walks while striking out five Maple Leafs. Devin Ruppert (SO/Tustin, Mich.) started for the Wildcats and did not allow a run in 3.0 innings.
Craig Nesselhuf (JR/Littleton, Colo.), Preston Fugita (SR/Littleton, Colo.), and Taylor Staff (SO/Springfield, Ill.) all collected two hits in the victory as the Wildcats outhit the Maple Leafs 11-6. Kaleb DeFreese (SO/Bristol, Ind.) knocked in three runs while Nesselhuf and Thomas Barnes (SR/Marion, Ind.) each had two RBIs.
In the second game, Goshen never trailed after scoring three runs in the third inning. Goshen took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh before Indiana Wesleyan made a comeback attempt. Caleb Birkey (JR/Granger, Ind.) tripled home DeFreese and Birkey scored on the next at bat on a Barnes sac fly. Preston Fugita and Logan Tomlinson (SO/Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) each reached base with two outs in the inning as Tomlinson represented the tying run on first base. But Nesselhuf struck out swinging for the final out as Goshen escaped with a 6-4 win.
Jon Keesling (JR/Selma, Ind.) suffered the loss with five runs in 3.0 innings. Fugita was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored while Tomlinson, Nick Koh (SO/Auckland, N.Z.), and Birkey all had one hit.
Indiana Wesleyan opens up postseason play on Saturday afternoon at Spring Arbor (Mich.) in the first game of the Crossroads League Tournament. The Indiana Wesleyan game vs. Spring Arbor will be a 9 inning game and starts at 2 p.m.
