NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Wayne State University baseball team (1-0) opened the 2017 season with a 9-5 win in 14 innings at Trevecca Nazarene (0-4) on Friday evening. WSU scored four runs in the top of the 14th inning, including a go-ahead solo home run from
Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South).
The Warriors are now 6-3 in season openers under head coach
Ryan Kelley.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the top of the first inning,
Griffin Harms (Bingham Farms, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) began the score with a two-run blast before the Trojans tied the game in the bottom of the frame with two runs on three hits and a WSU error.
Ryan Mergener (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Portage Central) led off the second inning with a double to left field and eventually scored on a TNU error.
Brad Baldwin (Troy, Mich. / Bishop Foley Catholic) extended WSU's lead to 4-2 with an RBI double later in the inning.
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Chris Horvath (Lakeshore, Ont.) battled through the third and fourth innings to keep the Trojans off the scoreboard. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning, a line drive double play to shortstop
Tristen Jorah (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Sterling Heights Stevenson) was key in keeping the lead intact. A solo home run by TNU in the bottom of the sixth inning trimmed the visitors' lead to 4-3.
- Another solo home run from the Trojans tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Later in the frame, TNU took a 5-4 lead following an error and an RBI single. Following a walk to
Jeremy Carrell (St. Clair, Mich.), Harms tied the game at 5-5 with an RBI single. Both team remained deadlocked as the game went into extra innings. TNU loaded the bases in the bottom of the 13th inning but Tyler Tomspon (Farmington, Mich.) (1-0) struck out the side, including back-to-back punch outs to keep the game tied.
- In the top of the 14th, Kelly delivered a one-out solo home run to give the Green & Gold a 6-5 lead. Jorah added a run with an RBI double and WSU collected two more runs on a Trojan error later in the frame. Tompson set down the Trojans in order in the bottom of the 14th to seal the thrilling win.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
- Harms finished with three RBI, while he and Baldwin both turned in two-hit performances.
ON THE MOUND
- Horvath tossed the first four innings before being replaced by
Tyler Waldrop (Grand Ledge, Mich.). Horvath finished with three strikeouts and allowed an earned run on four hits and three walks.
Taylor Horn (Leo, Ind.) pitched four 2/3 innings and did not allow a run. Tompson hurled three scoreless innings and struck out seven batters.
UP NEXT
- The Warriors will conclude the three-game series with the Trojans on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. ET.