OWENSBORO, KY. - The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team split Friday's double-header against Tiffin University. The Panthers slipped in the late inning of the series opener 13-6, but bounced back in a big way in game two at Pather Park, winning 9-8.
Seth Wright started the opener and kept the Dragons (10-24, 2-16 GMAC) off balance. Wright allowed just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts. As Brayden Bush entered in relief of Wright, the Panthers (12-22, 7-11 GMAC) held a 3-1 lead.
The Panthers scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to break a 1-1 tie as Noah Davis drove in a run with a single while Jaret Humphrey followed later in the frame with a double. After a scoreless sixth inning the Dragons took a 5-3 lead in the seventh, thanks to a grand slam.
Wesleyan utilized some two-out magic in the bottom of the seventh as Humphrey again provided some power with a RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-4. Bryce Zupan then drove in Brandon Valdez with an RBI single that tied the game at five.
The Dragons added four runs in top of the eighth and ninth to distance the Panthers. Humphrey was three for five with a double and two RBIs. Sammy Rowan was two for three with a homerun.
In the second game Evan Oakley picked-up his fourth win of the season while Josh Tucker recorded his first save of the season. Oakley and the Panthers trailed 3–0 heading into the bottom of the third inning when Zach Curtis and Justin Lauersdorf connected on back-to-back homeruns to bring Wesleyan within 3-2 after three.
Tiffin added a run in the top of the fourth, but the Panthers took control in the bottom half of the inning with five runs. Bradon Valdez and Kyle Werries set the table with back-to-back walks to start the inning. Humphrey continued his good day at the plate as he followed with a double that got the Panthers within one run. Braxton French then hit a double of his own that scored two runs and gave Wesleyan a 5-4 lead.
Cameron Langston would add another run for the Panthers with an RBI single later in the frame. He would later score on a failed pick-off that extended the Panthers' lead to 7-4. The cushion was short lived as the Dragons added two runs in the top of the fifth. French would answer in the bottom half with a crushed two-run homerun over the centerfield fence.
Trailing 9-6, the Dragons would go on to score two more times in the sixth, pulling within one run. Josh Tucker would shut the door in the seventh. After the lead-off man reached firstbase, Tucker struck-out the side to end the game.
Oakley pitched 5.1 innings, allowing seven runs, five earned on nine hits with three strikeouts. French finished the game two for three with a double, homerun, and four RBIs.
The Panthers will play two more against TIffin on Saturday afternoon. First pitch at Panther Park is scheduled for 12PM.
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