AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- Play continued in the 2016 RussMatt Invitational on Saturday and the Wayne State University baseball team (3-6) handled GLIAC foe Ashland (7-6) 7-0 in a non-conference contest. The win avenged a heartbreaking loss to the Eagles to end WSU's season a year ago in the GLIAC Tournament.
Alex Kinch (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) (1-2) was stellar and picked up his first victory of the season. He pitched a complete game shutout and struck out six batters, while allowing eight hits and walking one.
HOW IT HAPPENED- The Warriors put two runners on in the top of the first inning but were unable to produce any runs. Wayne State broke through for two runs in the top of the third inning. An error and a
Griffin Harms (Bingham Farms, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) single to left plated the runs to give WSU a 2-0 lead.
- The Warriors added two runs in the top of the fifth run on a two-run home run off the bat of
Cole Clifton (Sterling Heights. Mich. / De La Salle) to left field. Kinch was able to hang another zero in the bottom of the fifth inning, dancing around two singles. Ashland's Greg Ludwig doubled to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning but two ground outs and an outfield assist from
Ryan Mergener (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Portage Central) cut a runner down at home to keep the shutout in tact.
- Kinch continued his dominant performance in the bottom of the seventh by striking out the side and also retired the side in order in the bottom of the eighth inning. A bases-loaded walk to Clifton led to WSU's fifth run and a two-run single from
Aaron Loconsole (Macomb, Mich. / Marine City) extended WSU's lead to 7-0. AU doubled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning but Kinch was able to notch his seventh career complete, first shutout.
LEADING THE WARRIORS-
Jeremy Carrell (St. Clair, Mich.), Harms and Loconsole all posted multiple-hit games while Clifton drove in a game-high three runs.
UP NEXT- WSU will meet another GLIAC member in a non-conference tilt on Sunday against Walsh at 3:30 p.m.
