A three-game home series began on Saturday for the Wayne State College baseball team.
From the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex, WSC welcomed in Concordia-St. Paul with a seven and nine inning doubleheader.
The host Wildcats snapped a two-game losing streak winning 9-8 and 6-3. WSC improved to 19-14 (15-9 NSIC) while the Golden Bears fell to 15-19 (11-13 NSIC).
In the opening game, Wayne State College started strong with a three-run bottom of the first inning. Senior Kaden Young posted a three-RBI double driving in sophomore Max Heard and senior Taylor Gill.
Concordia-St. Paul quickly answered with four runs in the top of the second.
WSC regained the lead with two additional runs a half of an inning later to go up 5-4. Junior Casey Prychak doubled in junior Braden Cannon followed by senior Chase Douglas using an RBI groundout scoring Prychak.
CSP followed with a single run in the top of the third and three more runs in the fourth to lead 8-5.
The Wildcats used a four-run home half of the fifth to go back up a run. Junior Nate Cunningham recorded a three-run homerun scoring senior Taylor Gill and senior Quinn McCafferty while Prychak doubled in Cannon for the go-ahead run.
Final favored Wayne State College winning 9-8 as both teams recorded nine hits. WSC committed two errors compared to CSP with one error.
Casey Prychak doubled twice, drove in two runs and scored; Taylor Gill doubled twice and scored twice; Nate Cunningham added a three-run homerun; Kaden Young doubled and drove in three runs as Braden Cannon doubled and scored twice. Quinn McCafferty also singled twice and scored twice.
Chase Douglas accounted for a RBI as Max Heard scored.
Senior Josh Kilzer (39 pitches) picked up the win in three innings of scoreless relief allowing one hit while striking out four batters and walking one. Cannon (eight) picked up his sixth save on the season in the final two-thirds striking out one batter and forcing a groundout.
Senior Jackson Shelburne (66) started the opening three and a third allowing eight runs (seven earned) off eight hits while striking out two batters, walking two and hitting three.
During the second outing, Wayne State College began with two runs in the home half of the second inning. Cannon lifted a ball across the left field fence scoring Young.
Concordia-St. Paul followed with a single run in the top of the third and two more runs in the fourth to go up 3-2.
WSC answered with two runs in the home half of the fourth to go up 4-3. Cannon and Prychak both recorded a solo homerun.
Following back-to-back scoreless innings, the Wildcats plated two insurance runs in the home half of the seventh. Gill doubled in Douglas followed by a RBI base hit by McCafferty scoring Gill.
Final in the nine inning game favored Wayne State College winning 6-3 and outhitting Concordia-St. Paul, 12-8. WSC committed two errors compared to zero by the Golden Bears.
Braden Cannon recorded two homeruns (two-run and solo); Casey Prychak added a solo homerun and doubled; Taylor Gill singled, doubled, drove in a run and scored as Chase Douglas singled twice and scored.
Kaden Young singled and scored; Quinn McCafferty singled and drove in a run as redshirt junior Cam Madsen and Max Heard both singled
Junior Clay Beaumont (91 pitches) picked up the win in six innings allowing three runs (two earned) off seven hits while striking out six batters, walking two and hitting one.
Junior Keinan Lentell (29) worked an inning and two-thirds allowing one hit while striking out one batter. Sophomore Conlin Grady and Cannon both used nine pitches in back-to-back two-thirds outings striking out one batter each.
