SPRING ARBOR, Mich. -- Indiana Wesleyan University baseball traveled north to Spring Arbor (Mich.) today and lost both ends of a doubleheader in Spring Arbor, Michigan. Spring Arbor won the opening game 5-4 and finished the doubleheader sweep with a 5-1 win.

In the first game, Indiana Wesleyan (17-19, 7-7 CL) struck in the top of the first inning. Thomas Barnes (SR/Marion, Ind.) led off with a single and advanced to third base on a wild throw. He scored on the next at bat when Cam Screeton (SR/Rochester, Ind.) hit a ground ball and beat the throw home.

Spring Arbor (17-8, 10-4 CL) quickly responded with three runs in the home half of the first inning and two more in the second inning for a 5-1 lead. Indiana Wesleyan closed to within two runs with two scores in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Taylor Staff (SO/Springfield, Ill.) scored on a throwing error and Preston Fugita (SR/Littleton, Colo.) scored on a ground out off the bat of Jacob Murphy (SR/Hudsonville, Mich.).

Indiana Wesleyan had runners on second and third base with one out in the seventh inning. Craig Nesselhuf (JR/Littleton, Colo.) singled to score Barnes and put the tying run on third base. But back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat and the game as Indiana Wesleyan lost 5-4.

Brandon Watkins (SO/Indianapolis, Ind.) took the loss with five runs on four hits in 1.1 innings. He walked five and did not record a strikeout. Devin Ruppert (SO/Tustin, Mich.) was fantastic in relief as he did not allow a run on one hit in 4.2 innings.

Indiana Wesleyan outhit Spring Arbor 9-5 in the loss. Screeton, Nesselhuf, and Fugita all finished with two hits.

In game two, the Wildcats once again scored first with a run in the second inning. Fugita crossed the plate on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead. But that was the only IWU run in the game.

The Cougars tied the score 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning and scored three more times in the third inning. The final SAU run came in the fifth inning for the 5-1 score.

Nick Koh (SO/Auckland, N.Z.) was 1-for-3 with a double. Fugita and Logan Tomlinson (SO/Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) each finished 1-for-2 with a walk. Kennan Barnett (SO/Newburgh, Ind.) took the loss as he surrendered five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits in a 6.0 inning complete game.

Indiana Wesleyan returns to Wildcat Field on Friday for a doubleheader with Bethel (Ind.). First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.