MARION, Ind. – No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan baseball knocked off Huntington 8-5 Monday afternoon en route to earning a spot in the Crossroads League Championship Tuesday.


GAME VITALS

• Indiana Wesleyan def. Huntington 8-5
• RECORDS: IWU 42-12; HU 33-15

INSIDE THE BOX

• Huntington led 2-0 after the top of the first inning but the Wildcats responded with four runs over the next two frames.
• In the second inning, Lucas Goodin reached on a walk and moved to third on MJ Stavola's base hit. Goodin scored on an error while Stavola hustled to third. A sacrifice fly from Nick Coy knotted the game at 2-2.
• The Wildcats took the lead in the third. With two down, Tanner Killian doubled home Tye Thixton, who had reached on a walk. Goodin doubled in Kilian for the 4-2 advantage.
• The Foresters regained the lead with a three-run fifth inning. However, IWU quickly got back on top. With the bases full of Wildcats in the bottom of the frame, Killian's single to left plated Thixton and Denver Blinn. Goodin's double scored Jenkins. Three batters later, Blake Storr reached on an error, which allowed Goodin to cross home for an 8-5 lead.
• Isaiah Rivera got the start and worked five innings. He gave up four runs on three hits and struck out four. Austin Swift came in and threw four shutout frames to pick up the long save. He struck out four and gave up just two hits.
• The Wildcats rattled off nine hits in the game, including two from Goodin and Killian. Killian drove in three runs while Goodin drove in two. Goodin and Thixton each crossed home twice. 

PLAYING FOR A TITLE

• For the first time since May 12, 2016, Indiana Wesleyan will be playing for a Crossroads League Tournament Title. On that day, IWU was named co-champion along with top-seeded Taylor after the game was rained out after five innings. The game ended in a 3-3 tie. It was the first time in 31 years the Wildcats had won a league championship.

NEXT TIME OUT

• The Wildcats take the field again Tuesday at 6 p.m. IWU will face the winner of Huntington and the Game 12 winner.

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