MIDLAND, Mich. -- The Wayne State University baseball team (24-17 overall, 12-10 GLIAC) and Northwood (29-13 overall, 16-7 GLIAC) met twice on Saturday. The Warriors overcame a four-run deficit in the sixth inning and a two-run deficit in the seventh inning to take game one, 12-9, scoring a total of nine runs in the final two frames. WSU led from start to finish in game two and won 7-3.
GAME ONE (W, 12-9)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Warriors loaded the bases in the top of the second inning after singles from
Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South) and
JT Conti (Trenton, Mich.) but were unable to push across any runs. Northwood took a 1-0 lead with two hits, including a double in the bottom of the second inning. The bases were loaded once again for WSU in the top of the third inning but this time the Green & Gold were able to plate a run as
Ryan Mergener (Portage, Mich. / Portage Central) drew a walk to tie the game at 1-1. Two runs on two hits and a Wayne State error gave the home squad a 3-1 advantage.
- A two-out double in the top of the fourth inning from
Jacob Finkbeiner (Saline, Mich.) produced a run and
Brad Baldwin (Troy, Mich. / Bishop Foley Catholic) sent an RBI single back up the middle to tie the game at 3-3. The T-Wolves loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning. It looked as if WSU was going to escape without allowing any damage but four two-out runs gave NU a 7-3 lead.
- WSU scored four runs in the sixth inning to tie the game at 7-7. Baldwin started the scoring with a sacrifice fly before Kelly smashed a two-run home run to left field. An RBI single from
Tristen Jorah (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Sterling Heights Stevenson) drove in the game-tying run. However, NU answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, taking a 9-7 lead into the final frame.
- The first three batters of the top of the seventh inning reached and Kelly drove an RBI single into center to pull WSU within one and a sac fly from Conti tied the game at 9-9. Mergener gave the Warriors their first lead of the game, 10-9, with an RBI single through the left side. A wild pitch extended the visitor's lead to 11-9 before Jorah drove in the inning's fifth run with a single into center field.
Taylor Horn (Leo, Ind.) (2-2) worked a scoreless bottom of the seventh inning to seal the comeback victory.
AT THE PLATE
- The Green & Gold out-hit NU 15-9. Finkbeiner and Kelly both posted three-hit games as Kelly drove in three runs to pace the offense. Notching two-hit games were Mergener,
Michael MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich. / Country Day) and Jorah.
ON THE MOUND
-
Nolan Dill (Bowling Green, Ohio) started and allowed six earned runs in four innings before
Dillon McInerney (Richmond, Mich.) worked an inning, allowing an earned run. Horn picked up the win by working two innings and did not allow a run, while striking out two batters.
GAME TWO (W, 7-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Wayne State scored first in game two on an RBI double from Finkbeiner in the top of the first inning.
Patrick Adams (Detroit, Mich. / De La Salle) doubled WSU's lead to 2-0 with an RBI single into center field in the second inning. A two-run single from
Devin Rose (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's) in the top of the third inning extended WSU's lead to 4-0.
- Northwood broke through in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run triple to trim WSU's lead to 4-2. Another run scored on an RBI groundout to cut deficit to one.
- After a leadoff single from Adams in the sixth inning, an RBI double from Kelly gave WSU a 5-3 lead. Rose added another insurance run in the seventh with an RBI single to center field and a passed ball later in the inning pushed WSU's lead to 7-3.
AT THE PLATE
- Adams went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while MacLean went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Rose led the roster with three RBI.
ON THE MOUND
-
Josh Nelson (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Saline) (4-2) was sharp for the second straight outing and allowed three earned runs, while collecting his second consecutive complete game. The sophomore struck out six batters.
UP NEXT
- The teams will conclude the series on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for noon.