XENIA, Ohio -- Looking to put itself in the driver's seat of the 2016 GLIAC Tournament, the Wayne State University baseball team (28-23) met Walsh (28-24) on Friday night. Walsh was able to improve to 2-0 in the postseason with a 3-1 win and the Cavaliers are now the only team without a blemish.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Jason McPeek put Walsh on top in a hurry with a leadoff solo blast to left center in the top of the first inning. The Cavs added a run in the top of the second inning on an infield RBI single but
Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South) was able to slow the rally by picking off a runner from second base.
-
Alex Kinch (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) (8-5) struck out five of the next six batters in the fourth and fifth innings. WSU out two runners on in the bottom of the sixth inning after a WU error and a walk but was unable to do any damage. An RBI double from McPeek in the top of the seventh inning extended Walsh's advantage to 3-0.
- Kinch danced around two, two-out singles in the top of the eighth inning to keep WU scoreless in the frame. Kelly put the Warriors on the board by launching a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning. The frame began with a
Griffin Harms (Bingham Farms, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) single through the right side before a double play erased both runners.
- In the bottom of the ninth,
Cole Clifton delivered a two-out, pinch-hit single into center but a strikeout ended the threat and the game.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
- Mergener, Kelly and
Tristen Jorah (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Stevenson) all notched two-hit performances.
- Kelly reached base three times going 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored and a walk.
ON THE MOUND
- Kinch collected his 11th career complete game and fifth of the season and allowed three earned runs on 12 hits and struck out nine batters for the fourth time this season.
UP NEXT
- WSU will play top-seeded Grand Valley State on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. in an elimination game. The winner of that game will play Walsh at 5:30 p.m.