DETROIT -- The Wayne State University baseball team (22-9, 12-2 GLIAC) continued its great month of April with two wins over Hillsdale (15-18, 8-10 GLIAC) on Wednesday afternoon. The Warriors scored three runs in the final inning to win game one 6-5 on a walk-off RBI single and were victorious in a 13-4 rout in game two. WSU sits atop the GLIAC standings and has won eight straight and 14 of its last 16 games.
GAME ONE (W, 6-5)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Wayne State scored two runs on a hit in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead.
Brad Baldwin (Troy, Mich. / Bishop Foley Catholic) tripled home the inning's first run and
Ryan Mergener (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Portage Central) plated the second run with an RBI groundout. The Chargers trimmed the deficit to one on a WSU throwing error.
- A three-run home run from Ethan Wiskur in the top of the third inning gave Hillsdale a 4-2 advantage. HC looked to widen the gap in the top of the fourth inning with a hit, a WSU error and a walk but could only net a run to stretch lead to 5-2.
- A solo home run from Mergener in the bottom of the sixth inning started the rally. In the seventh inning,
Justin Sherman (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) singled to center field to begin the inning.
Jeremy Carrell (St. Clair, Mich.) double to right and
Sean Winkelseth (Ypsilanti, Mich.) drove in a run with an RBI groundout to second. A pinch-hit RBI single from
Cole Clifton (Sterling Heights. Mich. / De La Salle) tied the game at 5-5 and
JT Conti (Trenton, Mich.) won the game with an RBI single to left field.
AT THE PLATE
- Mergener paced the offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
ON THE MOUND
-
Addison Pawelek (Shelby Twp., Mich. / De La Salle) started and lasted three and 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and three walks.
Josh Nelson (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Saline) (3-0) was the winning pitcher and struck out four batters over three and a 1/3 innings, while not allowing a run.
GAME TWO (W, 13-4)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Green & Gold started fast in game two, scoring four runs on three hits and two Hillsdale errors in the bottom og the first inning.
Jared Tobey (St. Clair, Mich.) highlighted the big inning with a two-run single to center.
Griffin Harms (Bingham Farms, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) added a run in the bottom of the second with an RBI single into left field.
- The Chargers got on the scoreboard with two runs on a hit and a WSU error in the top of the fifth inning and scored two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to pull with a run, 5-4. Carrell created some breathing room with an RBI double in the sixth inning.
- The Warriors added two runs in the seventh and five more in the eighth inning to extend lead to 13-4.
AT THE PLATE
- Harms went 4-for-5 with three RBI and scored two runs. Tobey turned in a 3-for-4 game, driving in four runs. Carrell, Mergener and
Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South) posted two hits each.
ON THE MOUND
- Conti (1-1) started and did not give a up or allow an earned run over four innings. A combination of four pitchers were used over the final five innings.
Richard Hovde (Saline, Mich.) allowed two earned runs, while
Brendan Wetmore (Westland, Mich. / John Glenn) did not allow a run in 2/3 of an inning.
Nolan Dill (Bowling Green, Ohio) was perfect over his two innings of work and
Dennis Olszewski (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Gabriel Richard) pitched a spotless ninth inning.
UP NEXT
- Wayne State will a host an important four-game series against Northwood beginning with a doubleheader on Friday.
