XENIA, Ohio -- The Wayne State University baseball team (24-25-1) finished its season on Saturday at the 2015 GLIAC Tournament. The Warriors cruised to a 15-3 win over Ohio Dominican (30-18) before Ashland (36-16) scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to steal game two, 8-7. The sixth-seeded WSU squad was one of the final three teams left in the tournament.

Game One (W, 15-3)
WSU scored early and often in an elimination game against ODU. However, it was the Panthers who scored first with a run on a hit in the bottom of the first inning.

Nate Manis (Port Huron, Mich. / Port Huron Northern) and Aaron Loconsole (Macomb, Mich. / Marine City) answered with run-producing hits in the top of the second inning including a two-run double from Loconsole to give the Green & Gold a 3-1 lead.

Starter Chris Horvath (Lakeshore, Ont. / St. Anne Catholic) (5-1) was able to keep ODU quiet in the second and third innings, stranding two runners in the third.

The Warriors exploded for six runs in the fourth inning on five hits and an ODU error to extend their lead to 9-1. Sean Winkelseth (Ypsilanti, Mich.), Loconsole, Bradley Baldwin (Troy, Mich. / Bishop Foley Catholic), Kyle Zimmerman (Frankfort, Mich.) and Cole Clifton (Sterling Heights. Mich. / De La Salle) all drove in runs during the rally.

Horvath was again able to dance around danger in the bottom of the fourth inning, leaving two Panthers on the base paths.

Loconsole continued to have the hot bat and drove in two more runs in the fifth inning with a single into center.

The fourth-seeded Panthers scored a run in the sixth inning but WSU answered with two more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Baldwin and Zimmerman accounted for the RBI.

Ohio Dominican scored another run in the eighth inning. Jake Davis (Rochester, Mich. / Stoney Creek) replaced Horvath to record the final two outs of the inning including a excellent play in foul territory from Zimmerman.

Zimmerman and Clifton both drove in runs in the ninth inning to give WSU a 15-3 advantage and Davis retired the Panthers in order in the bottom of the ninth including a 6-4-3 double play to end it.

Horvath struck out four over seven 1/3 innings and allowed just three earned runs despite six walks and eight hits. In his last appearance as a Warrior, Davis was solid, throwing one 2/3 innings and not allowing a hit.

Loconsole finished with a career-high five RBI while Zimmerman drove in four. Baldwin and Clifton both drove in two runs each.

Game Two (L, 7-8)
The Warriors continued its impressive play in the next game, occurring just under an hour after the ODU victory. In WSU's third straight elimination game - the visitors got off to a quick start.

After a single from Loconsole and a fielder's choice, Zimmerman gave WSU an early 1-0 lead with an RBI double into left center.

Alex Kinch (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) worked around two singles in the bottom of the first to keep Ashland off the board. The inning ended on an unconventional 2-3-1 double play following a strikeout as Zimmerman gunned Stephen James down at the plate to end the frame. Kinch set down the Eagles in order in the second inning.

Devin Rose (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's) started the third inning with a double down the left field line and came around to score on a Loconsole groundout. An infield single from Clifton and a sacrifice fly from Dennis Olszewski (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Gabriel Richard) netted two more runs to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead.

Both pitchers settled in as the two teams went scoreless until the top of the sixth inning when WSU added a run on an Ashland error.

The Eagles started their comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs on two hits and two walks. However, Olszewski stopped the rally with a sensational diving catch in center field to end the inning.

After a double from Nick Edwards, head coach Ryan Kelley made a move to his bullpen and went to the Second Team All-GLIAC selection, Jeff Sorenson (Livonia, Mich. / Stevenson) (4-5). Sorenson kept the two-run lead intact with a strikeout and a pop out. Sorenson used a 6-4-3 double play and another punch out to keep Ashland scoreless in the eighth inning.

Rose smacked his second double of the game to begin the ninth inning and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Manis. Baldwin added a run with an RBI single through the right side. WSU added the team's seventh run on Jared Tobey's (St. Clair, Mich.) sacrifice fly.

Sorenson struck out the first batter of the bottom of the ninth inning but that would be the final out recorded in the contest. Ashland would score five runs on five hits including a game-winning sacrifice fly to left center.

Kinch battled for six 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out four batters. 

Both Baldwin and Rose finished with three-hit nights.