LAKELAND, Fla. - The Wayne State University baseball team (8-3) split a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon with Winona State University (4-6), the 2011 national runner-up.

Wayne State won the opener, 7-1, but had its five-game winning streak snapped with a 7-3 loss in the second game.

In a rematch from last Thursday, the Warriors will play a nine-inning game at Rollins College on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.


GAME ONE: WAYNE STATE 7, WINONA STATE 1

Wayne State racked up 11 hits and scored in each of the first four innings.  J.J. Ciennik (Waterford, Mich./Mott) finished 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Alex Trojan (Fenton, Mich./Hartland), Chris Gebara (Troy, Mich.) and Justin DeFrancis (Rochester, Mich./Stoney Creek) had two hits apiece, and Brad Guenther (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) walked four times, a feat not achieved by any Wayne State player in at least a decade.

Alex Pierse (Clinton Twp., Mich./De La Salle) pitched six solid innings to improve to 2-0 on the year.  He allowed just one run on five hits, walking two and striking out three.

An RBI double by Trojan brought home Guenther, who led off the game with a walk.  Wayne State added two runs in each of the next two innings.

In the second, DeFrancis doubled in J.J. Ciennik, and Andrew Ciennik's (Waterford, Mich./Mott) sacrifice fly plated Eric Cunningham (LaSalle, Ont./St. Thomas of Villanova).  Bases-loaded walks to DeFrancis and Guenther in the third inning gave Wayne State a 5-0 lead.

Winona State scored its lone run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Seth McMullen.

An RBI double by J.J. Ciennik scored Kyle Zimmerman (Frankfort, Mich.) in the fourth.  Gebara's base hit driving in Vesey in the sixth completed the scoring.


GAME TWO: WINONA STATE 7, WAYNE STATE 3

Winona State produced six runs on seven hits and two walks, all with two outs, in the top of the fourth.  McMullen's bases-clearing single was the key hit and contributed to an early exit for Wayne State starter Josh Wedesky (Fowlerville, Mich.).

Three runs for Wayne State in the bottom of the seven spoiled the potential shutout for Mike Wasilik (1-0), who allowed six hits and three walks in the complete game victory.

An RBI single in the third by Cody Strang gave Winona State a 1-0 lead before the decisive fourth inning made it a 7-0 game.

An error to start the bottom of the seventh contributed to two unearned runs for Wayne State.  Gebara drove in a run with a base hit, as did Kenny Davis (Wyoming, Mich./Lee) with a double.  A grounder by Ryan Buter (North Muskegon, Mich.) brought home Gebara.

Wedesky (2-1), one of four pitchers used by Wayne State, surrendered 10 hits and a pair of walks.  He struck out three over 3.2 innings.


NOTES
Andrew Ciennik's sacrifice fly in the opener was the 14th of his career, tying Aaron Lawson (1998-2001) for the school record … he also made his 21st sacrifice bunt, third-most in school history … Wednesday's win was the 100th of Ryan Kelley's head coaching career ... Wayne State hitters accumulated 12 walks in the doubleheader … reliever Christian Bilkovic (West Bloomfield, Mich.) made his collegiate debut in game two … DeFrancis extended his hitting streak to six games, the longest by a Warrior this season.