HOOVER, ALA. - Indiana Wesleyan baseball concluded their series with Madonna on Saturday, securing an 11-0 victory over the Crusaders in the first game before falling 11-10 in a closely contested second matchup. The Wildcats showcased a powerful offensive display in the opener, highlighted by a six-run third inning, while the second game featured a back-and-forth battle with both teams recording 13 hits.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: Hoover, Ala. | Metropolitan Sports Complex
- Records: IWU - 4-3 | MU - 2-3
- Game One Score: IWU def. MU 11-0
- Game Two Score: MU def. IWU 11-10
- NAIA Rankings: IWU - NR | MU - NR
GAME ONE RECAP
- Indiana Wesleyan began their offensive push in the first inning. After Carson Bush walked and advanced to third on Grant Payson's single, Ben Seitzinger brought in Bush with a sacrifice fly to left field, giving IWU an early 1-0 lead. In the second inning, the Wildcats extended their lead as Nick Wiley was hit by a pitch and Mark Snowden followed with a single. Greg Vineyard then delivered a crucial two-run double to left field, allowing both Wiley and Snowden to cross the plate, moving the score to 3-0.
- The offensive momentum continued into the third inning. Payson and Seitzinger set the stage with a single and double, respectively. Trevor Vojtkofsky capitalized, launching a three-run home run to further extend the lead. Matthew Drozlek added a single and later scored after an error by MU's catcher, while Wiley and Braxton Brosmer also scored on the play, resulting in a commanding 9-0 advantage after three innings.
- In the sixth inning, Indiana Wesleyan added two more runs. Seitzinger walked and Vojtkofsky was hit by a pitch before Drozlek doubled to left field, bringing both runners home. This extended the lead to 11-0, a score that held through the seventh inning.
- Cooper Chinn delivered a standout performance for IWU, pitching a complete-game shutout against the Crusaders. Chinn went 7 innings, allowing only 4 hits and striking out 7 batters while issuing 2 walks. With 78 pitches thrown, 48 of which were strikes, Chinn maintained a WHIP of 0.86 and secured the win, picking up his first win of the season.
KEY WILDCATS
GAME TWO RECAP
- Indiana Wesleyan battled Madonna in a tightly contested matchup in game two. Madonna took an early lead with a two-run homer by K. Davis in the first inning. The Wildcats responded swiftly in the bottom half. Carson Bush doubled, followed by a single from Grant Payson, who eventually scored alongside Bush on a wild pitch. B. Seitzinger's groundout and Matthew Drozlek's RBI double secured a 4-2 lead for the red and grey after the first.
- In the second inning, IWU added to their lead. Jay Tomes singled and advanced to third, eventually scoring on Payson's RBI single, increasing the lead to 5-2 after two innings. However, the Crusaders staged a significant comeback in the third inning, plating six runs. A. Mitchell's three-run homer was the highlight, pushing MU ahead 8-5 by the end of the third.
- Indiana Wesleyan cut the deficit in the fourth inning. Tomes walked and scored on a triple by Greg Vineyard. Bush's RBI single brought Vineyard home, and Payson's single added another, tying the game at 8-8.
- Indiana Wesleyan continued to push in the fifth. Matthew Drozlek singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Andrew Sinish, who eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk to Tomes. Vineyard was hit by a pitch, forcing in another run, and extending IWU's lead to 10-8 after five innings.
- The game remained scoreless through the sixth, but Madonna regained control in the seventh. A single by K. Etheridge and an RBI single from K. Davis rounded out a three-run inning for the Crusaders, putting them ahead 11-10.
- Despite Indiana Wesleyan's efforts in the bottom of the seventh, they were unable to score, resulting in an 11-10 defeat against MU.
KEY WILDCATS
LOOKING AHEAD
- The Wildcats head to Montgomery, Alabama to face Keiser and Faulkner next Friday.
- Links for stats will be available at IWUWildcats.com.
NEXT HOME GAME
- IWU opens their home schedule on February 20th, taking on IUK at 3:00 PM
- Links for video, and stats will be available at IWUWildcats.com.
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