BECKLEY, W.V. -- The Wayne State University baseball team (2-0 overall) opened its 80th season on Monday afternoon by sweeping a twin bill against Notre Dame College (1-4 overall).  The Warriors won 8-3 in game one behind an eight-run fourth inning before cruising in game two to a 16-1 victory.  The doubleheader was played at Linda K. Epling Stadium in Beckley, W.V.

GAME ONE (W, 8-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Falcons scored twice in the bottom of the third inning but the Warriors answered emphatically with eight runs on seven hits in the top of the fourth inning. 

After a single by junior Jacob Finkbeiner (Saline, Mich.), junior Michael MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich. / Country Day / The Lawrenceville School) homered to left field to tie the game at 2-2.  Senior Preston Pilat (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Brother Rice) drove in a pair of runs with a double to left field and Finkbeiner followed with a two-run single into center field.  MacLean collected his third and fourth RBI of the inning with a two-run double to left field, extending WSU's lead to 8-2.

Notre Dame used three hits in the bottom of the fifth inning to produce a run but that would be all of the offense for either side.

AT THE PLATE
MacLean paced the offensive attack going 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Finkbeiner drove in two runs with his two hits and sophomore Hunter DeLanoy (Hartland, Mich.) finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base.

ON THE MOUND
Senior Dillon McInerney (Richmond, Mich.) (1-0) got the start and allowed two unearned runs on three hits and three walks.  He struck out three batters.  Freshman Kaden Stively (Washington, Mich. / Romeo) made his collegiate debut and worked the fifth inning, allowing a run and striking out two batters.  Junior Nick O'Dea (Livonia, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central) did not allow a run and collected the final six outs to seal the win.

GAME TWO (W, 16-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Warriors jumped out to a 3-0 lead with three runs on four hits and an NDC error in the top of the first inning.  DeLanoy drove in a run, while redshirt freshman CJ Drogosch (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) stole home for the inning's third tally.

The bats continued to be the story as the Green & Gold pounded out seven hits to post an eight-spot in the top of the second inning.  DeLanoy and Drogosch both drove in two runs during the frame, while MacLean, redshirt senior Robert Iacobelli (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Brother Rice), redshirt sophomore Chris Tanderys (Livonia, Mich. / Stevenson) and redshirt sophomore Jacob Raymond (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Utica Eisenhower) each drove in a run.

After singles by MacLean and DeLanoy, sophomore Rudy Ramirez (Brighton, Mich.) sent a two-run single into center to give WSU a 13-0 advantage.  An error off the bat of redshirt sophomore Ryan Foley (Ann Arbor, Mich.) allowed the inning's fourth run to cross and Finkbeiner pushed the margin to 15-0 with an RBI single to left field.  Redshirt sophomore Nate Roede (Byron Center, Mich.) plated Wayne State's 16th run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Notre Dame scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to avoid the shutout.

AT THE PLATE
DeLanoy went 3-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored and his swiped his second bag in as many games.  MacLean, Drogosch, Tanderys and Raymond all finished with two hits.  

ON THE MOUND
Junior Brennan Cox (Taylor, Mich. / Riverview Gabriel Richard) (1-0) worked the first four innings and struck out seven batters, while allowing just two hits.  Graduate student Austin Atwood (Dearborn, Mich. / Edsel Ford) worked a perfect fifth inning before senior Richard Hovde (Saline, Mich.) allowed an unearned run in the sixth.  Redshirt junior Jack Schmidt (Fishers, Ind. / Indianapolis Cathedral) struck out the final three batters.

UP NEXT
The Green & Gold will play a four-game series vs. Kentucky Wesleyan in South Carolina beginning on Friday at 3:00 p.m.