UPLAND, Ind. – The Indiana Wesleyan baseball team split a doubleheader at Taylor Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats knocked off the No.18 Trojans 18-17 in a thriller before falling 24-1 in the nightcap.
 

 

THE ESSENTIALS

 

• Location: Upland, Ind. | Winterholter Field
• Records: IWU - 27-11, 21-7 | MVNU - 29-13, 22-6
• Game One Score: IWU def. TU 18-17
• Game Two Score: TU def. IWU 24-1
• NAIA Top-25 Rankings: IWU - RV | MVNU - 18

 

 

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

• IWU jumped on top with two runs in the top of the first. After MJ Stavola led off the game with an infield single, Andrew Sinish crushed a two-run shot over the center field wall.
• Tied at 2-2, Greg Vineyard started the second inning with a single to left field. With two down, he advanced to second on a wild pitch before racing home on Carson Gibson's double to right field for a one-run edge. 
• Up 4-2, Luke Roman laced a single to center field in the third. After swiping second, Nick Wiley's single allowed Roman to cross home. In the fourth, Stavola doubled home Mark Snowden, who led off the frame with a double to left field. With the bases loaded, Wiley's base hit cleared the bags, pushing the score to 8-3.   
• A 10-run sixth inning propelled the Trojans to a 13-8 lead, but the Wildcats responded in the seventh. Caleb Engelsman singled and moved to second on Vineyard's base knock. He scored on Snowden's single to right field. Gibson reached on a miscue, allowing Vineyard to score. Stavola's base knock plated Trevor Vojtkofsky before a passed ball pushed Snowden home to make it 13-12.  
• Wiley knotted the contest with a solo blast in the eighth inning, which marked the first of six runs of the frame. Gibson's two-RBI single drove in Vineyard and Vojtkofsky. Moments later, Jay Tomes lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, plating Colin Yoder. Gibson and Stavola each scored on a wild pitch for an 18-13 edge.
• Taylor plated four runs in the bottom of the ninth, but a groundout to Engelsman ended the game. 
• For the game, Stavola and Wiley had four this apiece while Vineyard accounted for three hits. Wiley knocked in five runs. Gibson drove in three while Sinish and Stavola had two RBI apiece. Stavola and Vineyard crossed home plate three times to lead the team. 
• Grayson Knight got the start and tossed five innings and had four strikeouts. Gabe Stout and Gibson Adema had strikeouts while Cam LaFuze posted two in the win. 

 

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

 


 

• Taylor struck with four runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back.
• The Trojans plated a run in the second, three in the third and three in the fourth for an 11-0 advantage. 
• IWU got on the scoreboard in the fifth stanza.  Wiley doubled to left field and scored on Zach Green's RBI single up the middle. 
• Taylor added 13 runs in the bottom of the sixth frame for a 24-1 lead. 
• IWU's Green, Stavola and Wiley registered hits. Wiley doubled while Green drove in Wiley for the team's lone run. 
• Tate Warner got the start and had a strikeout. Caleb Olsen registered a strikeout. Austin Bahmer, Dylan Bryant and Andrew Dreier all saw time on the mound in the loss. 

 

MACDONALD PERSPECTIVE

 

• "A hard fought series split … at times it wasn't pretty, but we found a way to scratch two wins against a good opponent," said Head Coach Ian Macdonald. "We've gotten hit hard with injuries, but kids are stepping in & stepping up … I am continually impressed with the resilience & togetherness of this team … a special group of players!"

NEXT TIME OUT

 

• The Wildcats return to action when they host a doubleheader against Huntington University Friday, Apr. 19 starting at 3 p.m. 
• Live stats and video will be available at IWUWildcats.com.

 

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