MARION, Ind. – For the first time since 2018, Indiana Wesleyan baseball is your Crossroads League Regular Season Champion. The Wildcats dropped the opener 9-3 and were pushed to the brink in the second game, but a total team effort gave the home squad a Saturday afternoon celebration.


GAME VITALS

• GAME 1: Lancers 9, Wildcats 3
• GAME 2: IWU 8, Grace 6
• RECORDS: IWU 39-12; Grace 12-31

INSIDE THE BOX – Game 1

• GC jumped on top with a three-run first inning, but IWU pulled within one with a two-run first inning of its own.
• The Lancers plated three runs in the fourth and held the home team to one run in the fifth before adding on three runs in the seventh for the 9-3 win.
• In the bottom of the first, Denver Blinn singled and moved to second. Colby Jenkins drew a walk and Tanner Killian's base hit scored Blinn. Two batters later, MJ Stavola's sacrifice fly plated Jenkins.
• Down 6-2 in the fifth, Lucas Goodin's single to right center allowed Blinn to score. Blinn led off the inning by being hit by a pitch.
• IWU could get no closer the rest of the way.
• For the game, Blinn led everyone with two hits and two runs scored.
• Hunter Hoffman took the loss after throwing four innings. He had five strikeouts but gave up six runs. Jake Engelkes tossed five innings and had eight strikeouts.

INSIDE THE BOX – Game 2

• Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the third Jenkins with two away. Tanner Killian promptly unleashed a two-run homer over the left field fence to knot the game at 2-2.
• Tye Thixton's double in the fourth scored Nick Coy, who had reached on an error. The run gave the home team a 3-2 lead but Grace tied it at 3-3 in the fifth.
• IWU quickly regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the frame. Killian ripped a one-out double to the gap in left center field. He scored on Goodin's base hit to right field for a 4-3 edge.
• The Wildcats broke open the game in the sixth. Thixton blasted a pitch over the left field wall for a solo round-tripper. Blinn singled and stole second. With two down, Killian walked and Goodin brought everyone home with his three-run homer, pushing the score to 8-3.
• The Lancers would score three times in the seventh, but IWU managed to register the win.
• Goodin led everyone with three hits and four RBI. Killian accounted for three hits and two RBI while Thixton had two hits and two RBI. Killian scored three of the team's eight runs.
• Austin Swift threw 6.1 innings, striking out eight. Braedon Norman recorded the final two outs in the victory.

NEXT TIME OUT

• The Wildcats take the field again on Thursday, Apr. 29 when they play at Spring Arbor starting at 1 p.m.

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