Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FLORENCE, Ky. -- The Wayne State University baseball team (2-0) opened the 2014 season in Kentucky with a doubleheader against GLVC opponent St. Joseph's (2-4) on Saturday afternoon at UCMC Stadium. WSU took game one 12-4 and game two 12-3.

The Warriors have taken their last three season openers and are 9-4 on Opening Day during the past 11 seasons (WSU won a doubleheader against West Georgia in 2010).

Game One (W, 12-4)
The Warriors wasted no time applying the pressure on the Pumas. Transfer Zach Johnson (Grandville, Mich.) drove in a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly. Cameron Walker (Clinton Township., Mich. / De La Salle) doubled to left field for the second run of the frame.

The scoring continued for the Green & Gold in the second inning. WSU loaded the bases before SJC pitcher, Jordan Peterson (0-1), allowed a run to score on a balk before Eric Cunningham (LaSalle, Ont. / St. Thomas of Villanova) gave WSU a 4-0 lead with a sacrifice fly.

Kyle Zimmerman (Frankfort, Mich.) (1-0) collected a pick off and his fifth strikeout of the game to end the top of the third inning.

WSU loaded the bases to begin the fourth inning, which included a Jeremy Carrell (St. Clair, Mich.) single. Relief pitcher Jake Harper allowed WSU's fifth run to score with a bases-loaded walk. Johnson drew another walk and Chris Gebara (Troy, Mich.) flew out to right field for a sacrifice fly to give the Warriors a 7-0 advantage. Walker ripped his second double of the contest down the left-field line for the inning's fourth and fifth runs.

SJC ended Zimmerman's shutout attempt in the bottom of the fourth inning. Following a walk and a Cameron Chestnut single, Chris Hauser doubled to left center to trim WSU's lead to 9-2. Jimmy Jackson (Battle Creek, Mich. / Pennfield) replaced Zimmerman on the mound with two on and two outs in the inning and was able to strand the inherited runners as WSU caught Hauser trying to steal home.

Hauser drove in another run in the bottom of the sixth inning with a single into center field, trimming the deficit to 9-3.

Travis Rodery (Wyandotte, Mich. / Roosevelt) singled to follow a Carrell walk. WSU executed a double steal and Carrell scored on a throwing error charged to the Pumas' catcher. Cunningham connected for a two-run home run to extend WSU's lead to 12-3. 

SJC collected its fourth run of the game on a fielding error charged to Carrell at shortstop.

Griffin Harms (Bingham Farms, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) doubled in his first collegiate at-bat and advanced to third on a wild pitch to begin the ninth inning. However, a double-play ended the threat.

Also making his WSU debut, Chris Horvath (Windsor, Ont. / St. Anne Catholic) pitched the final inning and notched his first career strikeout to end the game.

Zimmerman went 3.2 innings for the win, striking out seven and allowing two earned runs on five hits. Jackson was solid out of the bullpen, tossing 4.1 innings, allowing one run and striking out two batters.

Carrell, Rodery and Walker collected multi-hit games while Cunningham drove in four runs to lead the Warrior offense.

Game Two (W, 12-3)
St. Joseph's responded quickly in game two with three runs on two hits in the top of the first inning.

The Warriors answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame including a Cunningham RBI groundout to the shortstop.

A solo home run from Walker in the bottom of the second tied the game at 3-3. The two sides remained tied during the next three innings.

Harms drew a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the sixth inning before Cunningham doubled down the right field line. Gebara kept the line moving with a two-run double to right center to give the Warriors a 5-3 lead. The go-ahead double knocked SJC's starter Brett Maus (0-1) out of the game. Walker added to the lead with an RBI single up the middle to plate Gebara. A.J. Matos (Southgate, Mich. / Detroit Western) extended WSU's lead to 7-3 with a single through the right side. WSU added another run on SJC's third error of the game.

Walker drove his third double of the day into left center to put WSU up 9-3 and Zimmerman followed with an RBI single to right field. Spencer Church (Windsor, Ont. / Holy Names) doubled down the left field line for the Warriors' 11th run of the game. A SJC throwing error plated Church, giving WSU a 12-3 lead.

David Frederick (Rockford, Mich. / Northview) pitched two scoreless innings before Brandyn Hall (Sylvania, Ohio / Northview) recorded the final three outs.

Alex Kinch (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) (1-0) went six innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits.

Walker went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored including a game-tying solo home run.

Sunday's series finale has been cancelled due to inclement weather in the area. Wayne State will begin the 2014 RussMatt Invitational in Winter Haven, Fla. on March 7th.