DETROIT -- The Wayne State University baseball team (8-8, 1-1 GLIAC) opened up its home and league schedule with a split against Hillsdale (13-7, 1-1 GLIAC) on Friday. The Warriors erased a three-run deficit in game one but the Chargers plated a run in the sixth inning to win 5-4.
Jared Tobey (St. Clair, Mich.) (3-0) and Brad Baldwin (Troy, Mich. / Bishop Foley Catholic) led WSU to a 10-1 game two victory.
GAME ONE vs. HILLSDALE (L, 4-5)
HOW IT HAPPENED- After a leadoff single and a double down the right field line to begin the first inning, a dropped fly ball gave HC a 2-0 lead. The following batter grounded out to shortstop to plate the third and final run of the frame. WSU put two runners on in the bottom of the first inning but were unable to cut into the visitors' lead.
Ryan Mergener (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Portage Central), Baldwin and
Griffin Harms (Bingham Farms, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) all drove in runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game at 3-3. Alex Kinch (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) (2-3) settled in and struck out the side in the top of the third inning.
- Hillsdale regained the lead with a run in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI groundout. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning,
Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South) was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Cole Clifton (Sterling Heights. Mich. / De La Salle) struck out swinging but the ball got away from HC's catcher and he air-mailed a throw over the first baseman, which allowed Kelly to score and tie the game at 4-4.
- Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth inning. A leadoff double led to the go-ahead run on an RBI single through the right side. The Warriors put the game-tying run on the bottom of the seventh but were unable to do any damage.
LEADING THE WARRIORS- Baldwin, Harms and
JT Conti (Trenton, Mich.) all collected two-hit games.
ON THE MOUND- Kinch pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits, while striking out five.
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Tyler Tompson (Farmington, Mich.) tossed a scoreless inning in the seventh.
GAME TWO vs. HILLSDALE (W, 10-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED- Baldwin connected for his first home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning to right center. The All-GLIAC infielder smacked his second home run of game in the bottom of the third inning to extend WSU's lead to 2-0.
- Tobey kept the Chargers quiet until the top of the sixth inning when a dropped fly ball led to HC's first run of the game. After a leadoff walk in the top of the eighth inning,
Nolan Dill (Bowling Green, Ohio) replaced Tobey. Dill was able to hang a zero and keep the lead in tact.
- Five hits led to eight runs in the the bottom of the eighth inning to break the game open.
Aaron Loconsole (Macomb, Mich. / Marine City) sent a two-run single through the left side and Harms highlighted the rally with a three-run double to left field. Dill danced around two walks to collect his second save of the season in the top of the ninth inning.
LEADING THE WARRIORS- Harms aided Baldwin's two home run performance by going 2-for-5 with three RBI.
- Baldwin, Harms, Kelly and Mergener all posted multiple-hit games.
ON THE MOUND- Tobey struck out five over seven innings to stay unbeaten on the season. He allowed one unearned run and walked five.
- Dill allowed one hit and walked two, while striking out three in his two innings of work.
UP NEXT- Wayne State and Hillsdale will conclude the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
