After winning both ends of a doubleheader in dramatic fashion Saturday, the Wayne State baseball team capped a three-game sweep of Southwest Minnesota State with a win on a windy Sunday afternoon at the Chapman Complex.
Six Wayne State players had multi-hit games while the Wildcat pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts in a seven-inning, 14-4 win over the Mustangs Sunday, improving to 9-7 overall and 3-0 in NSIC play.
A Chris Cornish RBI double scored Andrew Hanson in the first inning to give the ‘Cats an early 1-0 lead.
A five-run second inning on five hits and two Mustang errors put the Wildcats in front 6-0 in the second. Alex Logelin had an RBI double that brought home Chase Douglas, making Logelin the all-time doubles leader at WSC with 58 to surpass the previous mark of 57 by Nick Bidroski (2008-11). An RBI double by Hanson and Conner Fiene RBI single were other key hits in the inning.
SMSU got on the board with one run in the top of the third, but WSC answered with three to take a 9-1 advantage. Nick Barnett’s two-run homer to left and an infield RBI single from Hanson scored the three Wildcat runs.
The ‘Cats scored three more runs in the fourth for a 12-1 lead. Fiene had an RBI single while Cornish and Colin Lynam also had hits in the inning.
The Mustangs scored one run in the top of the fifth to make the score 12-2, then WSC got a two-run homer from Lynam in the bottom of the frame giving the ‘Cats a 14-2 lead.
SMSU scored twice in the top of the seventh, but Wildcat freshman reliever Jacob Kneifl came on to strike out the side to end the game in seven innings on the 10-run rule.
Wayne State had 16 hits in the win. Barnett was a perfect 3-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. Fiene finished 3-for-4 with two RBI while Cornish went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Hanson was 2-for-3 with two RBI, Travis Baily went 2-for-4 with three runs scored while Lynam finished 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI.
Jackson Shelburne (2-2) earned the win, allowing three hits and one run over four innings with five strikeouts. Josh Kilzer, Ryan Petersen, Nick Oden and Kneifl each worked in relief for the Wildcats.
The next scheduled action for Wayne State baseball is Wednesday afternoon, hosting the University of Mary in an NSIC doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m.
