NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Wayne State University baseball team (0-3) concluded its season-opening series in Nashville, Tenn. on Saturday with heartbreaking 9-8 loss to ninth-ranked Quincy (2-0) and a 9-4 defeat at the hands of host Trevecca Nazarene (5-2) in the nightcap.
The Warriors led 7-2 against Quincy but were unable to hold onto that lead as the Hawks scored seven runs in the final five innings to steal game one. WSU led 2-0 versus the Trojans early but once again failed to hold onto the lead.
GAME ONE VS. #9 QUINCY (L, 8-9)
HOW IT HAPPENED- After a throwing error allowed
Jeremy Carrell (St. Clair, Mich.) to reach to begin the bottom of the first inning,
Brad Baldwin (Troy, Mich. / Bishop Foley Catholic) doubled to left center to plate the games first run.
Griffin Harms (Bingham Farms, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) singled and a balk allowed Baldwin to score from third, giving WSU a 2-0 lead. After throwing a scoreless first inning, starter
Jared Tobey (St. Clair, Mich.) allowed the Hawks to tie the game at 2-2 as Quincy strung together three hits in the top of the second inning. A leadoff walk to Carrell and another Baldwin double helped Wayne State regain the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Baldwin came around to score on
Justin Kelly's (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South) RBI single.
- With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning, Baldwin smacked his third double of the game and pushed WSU's lead to 7-2. Quincy answered with its own bases-clearing double to trim the deficit to 7-5 with four innings to play. Harms started the bottom of the sixth inning with a double into left center and later scored on a sacrifice fly from
Dennis Olszewski (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Gabriel Richard).
- The Hawks used two hits and a Warrior error to tie the game at 8-8 in the top of the seventh inning off relief pitcher
Nolan Dill (Bowling Green, Ohio) (0-1). QU's Dominic Miles led off the ninth inning with a solo home run to left field to put Quincy up 9-8. The Warriors were able to get the game-tying run on base as Carrell sent a one out single down the left field line. QU committed its second error of the game to put runners at second and third. After a pop out,
Daniel Peake (Mississauga, Ont.) pinch hit but was unable to to keep the comeback rally going and struck out to end the game.
LEADING THE WARRIORS- Badlwin powered WSU's offense, going 4-for-6 with five RBI and four doubles. Kelly and Harms also added multiple-hit games.
ON THE MOUND- Tobey allowed five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings, while striking out seven and walking five batters.
- Dill was saddled with the loss after giving up four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings, while striking out four Hawks.
LEADING THE HAWKS- Ryan Snyder drove in six runs to help Quincy in the win.
GAME TWO VS. TREVECCA NAZARENE (L, 4-9)HOW IT HAPPENED-
Chris Horvath (Lakeshore, Ont.) (0-1) kept TNU off the board in the first two innings, allowing the Warriors to jump out to a 2-0 lead.
Randy Kuzdak (Redford, Mich. / Dearborn Divine Child) drove in
JT Conti (Trenton, Mich.) in the top of the second inning and a Trojan error in the top of third inning allowed Carrell to score. TNU cut the deficit in half with a run on an RBI double in the bottom of the third inning.
- A two-run triple in the bottom of the fourth inning gave TNU a 3-2 lead. An error kept the inning going and the Trojans added two more runs with a two-run single to extend lead to 5-2. Kelly ended the rally by throwing out a potential base stealer at second base. A balk added a run for the Trojans in the bottom of fifth inning and TNU added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a seven-run lead (9-2).
- A two-out rally in the top of the seventh inning produced two runs for the Warriors including a Baldwin RBI double. However, that would be the last offense of the night for WSU and TNU would claim the 9-4 victory.
ON THE MOUND- WSU used six pitchers in game two.
Tyler Waldrop (Grand Ledge, Mich.) replaced Horvath after four innings.
Taylor Horn (Leo, Ind.),
Nick Cowen (Tecumseh, Mich.) and
Tyler Tompson (Farmington, Mich.) also appeared on the hill and combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
UP NEXT- Wayne State will travel to Evansville, Ind. to play three games next weekend. The Warriors will play Southern Indiana twice and once against Trevecca Nazarene.
