KWC baseball’s season ends in G-MAC championship

May 11, 2019 | 8:57 pm

Updated May 11, 2019 | 10:58 pm

Kentucky Wesleyan's season came to an end Saturday in the G-MAC championship. | File photo by Ryan Richardson

The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team’s postseason run came to an end Saturday afternoon, as the Panthers fell 9-6 to Tiffin University at Prasco Park.

Wesleyan trailed 8-0 before scoring six runs to trim the deficit to two in the eighth, but the comeback fell just short in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championship.

The Dragons used a seven-run, six-hit inning in the bottom of the third to open up a big lead. The Panthers answered with four runs in the top of the fourth.

Ethan Maxey led off the inning with a hit by pitch and moved to third on a double from Lane Kirkland.  Reece Puckett drove in Maxey with a sacrifice fly to center field, and Lane Kennemore reached safely on an error allowing Kirkland to score from third.

Ben Wilcoxson laid down a bunt single, putting two runners on with one out. Joseph Burke and Chase Andrews went back-to-back with one-run singles to cap off the rally.

Wesleyan’s bullpen quieted Tiffin’s offense over the next four frames, holding them to just two hits.

A two-out single from Ian Ellis put two runners on in the top of the eighth, and Maxey was hit by a pitch once again to load the bases. Kirkland delivered a single to shallow right field, driving in pinch runner Kiah Gledhill and Ellis from second, but Wesleyan was unable to complete the comeback.

The Panthers recorded 16 hits but stranded 15 runners on the day. Kirkland finished 4-for-5 at the plate with two runs driven in and one run scored. Burke went 3-for-6 while Wilcoxson and Andrews recorded two hits. Wilcoxson finished the season with a 19-game hitting streak.

Devin Smith suffered his first loss of the season on the mound, going 2.0 innings with four runs and two hits on short rest. Nolan Johnson went 0.2 innings, allowing four runs off of two hits.

Ryan Hundley threw 4.0 innings with two hits and two strikeouts, and Joey Lara went the final 1.0 innings allowing one run on two hits.

The Panthers finish the season at 30-22, reaching 30 wins for the eighth time in program history and the fifth time in the last six seasons under head coach Todd Lillpop.

May 11, 2019 | 8:57 pm

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