MARION, Ind. -- For the first time in 31 years the Indiana Wesleyan University baseball team has won a league championship.
No. 6-seed Indiana Wesleyan and No. 1-seed Taylor (Ind.) were named co-tournament champions after the title game was rained out after 5 innings. Since the game was considered official after 5 innings, both teams were named tournament champions as the game finished in a 3-3 tie.
Indiana Wesleyan crushed three solo home runs to account for their scoring. Brandon Shaffer (JR/Albuquerque, N.M.) and Caleb Eder (FR/North Vernon, Ind.) both hit 1st inning bombs while Derek Shomon (SR/Glenview, Ill.) added one in the 3rd inning. Taylor scored once in the 3rd inning and two more in the 4th inning as the game was 3-3 after 5 innings.
Caleb Eder belted a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to give the Wildcats a 5-3 lead. IWU continued to threaten as the next two batters reached base. But the game was brought to a halt due to heavy rains for the second time on Thursday.
Once the rains cleared late in the evening the field was deemed unplayable by the umpires with rain puddles littering the outfield and warning track.
The game was official since 5 innings were played but the two runs the Wildcats plated in the 6th inning did not count as the Trojans never got to bat in the inning. So the sixth inning did not count and the game only counted through the last completed full inning.
The last Indiana Wesleyan baseball championship came in 1985 with a regular season championship. The tournament championship is the first in program history and just the second appearance in the title game.
Indiana Wesleyan is the first team seeded No. 6 or lower to reach the Crossroads League Tournament Championship Game since at least the 2006 season, according to the 11 years of history on the Crossroads League website. This is also the first league tournament championship game featuring Indiana Wesleyan vs. Taylor in any sport since Indiana Wesleyan volleyball defeated Taylor 3-2 on November 12, 2011 in Upland, Indiana.
The magical season for the Wildcats continues next week as the team prepares for its first NAIA National Tournament appearance. The national office selection show is tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET where IWU learns where it will play in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on May 17-20.
