KWC baseball survives, to play for G-MAC championship

May 10, 2019 | 10:45 pm

Updated May 10, 2019 | 10:45 pm

The KWC baseball team will compete for the G-MAC championship on Saturday. | File photo by Ryan Richardson

The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team fought off elimination on Friday night, earning and 11-3 win over No. 2 seed Ohio Dominican Panthers at Prasco Park. No. 5 seed Wesleyan advances to the Great Midwest Championship series for the third straight season, looking for their second title in three years.

The win also puts the team at 30 wins on the season for the eighth time in program history.  It marks head coach Todd Lillpop’s fifth time in six seasons reaching the 30-win mark.

Wesleyan struck early against ODU, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Chase Andrews recorded an RBI single before Ethan Maxey drew a two-out walk with the bases loaded. Ohio Dominican got one run back in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run.

Reece Puckett led off the second with a single to left field, eventually scoring on two-out double from Joseph Burke that was tucked down the left field line. Ohio Dominican made it a one-run ball game in the bottom of the second, plating one run on a bases-loaded walk.

Both offenses slowed down in the next three innings, combining for just two hits. Wesleyan broke open the game in the top of the sixth with a pair of home runs.

Lane Kennemore belted his second career home run to left field. The junior’s first career home run also came at Prasco Park in an elimination game last season, also in the sixth inning.

Two batters later, Burke sent a no-doubter to left field, extending the lead to 6-2.

Ohio Dominican responded in the bottom of the inning with a two-out RBI double, cutting their deficit to three. Neither team scored in the seventh, but Wesleyan added five insurance runs in the top of the eighth.

Zach Burton picked up his fifth win of the season, going 7.0 innings with seven hits, three runs and four strikeouts. Joey Lara threw the final 2.0 innings, striking out three and holding ODU scoreless.

Puckett led the Wesleyan offense, going 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored. Kennemore and Burke recorded three hits each while Andrews tabbed two.

Kentucky Wesleyan will now face the No. 7 seed Tiffin Dragons in the Great Midwest Championship series. The Panthers will have to beat them twice, as the Dragons remain undefeated in the double-elimination tournament.

May 10, 2019 | 10:45 pm

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