LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The No. 27 ranked Spalding baseball team took both games of their SLIAC opener from Iowa Wesleyan, 14-0 and 7-3, Sunday at Derby City Field.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Spalding 14 – Iowa Wesleyan 0, Spalding 7 – Iowa Wesleyan 3
LOCATION: Derby City Field, Louisville, Ky.
RECORDS: Spalding 14-3 (2-0 SLIAC), Iowa Wesleyan 6-11 (0-4 SLIAC)
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
Back-to-back doubles by Garrett Wilson and Dillon Sievert to start the game put SU on scoreboard. Sievert then stole third and was able to race home when Eric Meyer grounded into a double play.
The Golden Eagles added a run in the second inning when Wilson doubled down the left field line scoring Evan Trentman from first.
SU scored seven runs to put the game out of reach in the bottom of the third. Kyle Stevens cleared the bases with a three-run triple to right field line and Matt Harper followed with two-run home run to make the score, 8-0. The final two runs of the inning came on a Wilson double scoring Trentman, and a Sievert foul out to first that allowed Wilson to tag and score.
Spalding added four more runs over the next two innings. Harper doubled scoring Quenton Brownlee in the fourth, and Meyer, Jacob Reece and Harper each drove in a run in the fifth to make the final margin, 14-0.
GAME ONE STAT LEADERS
Jimi Keating (5-0) picked up his fifth win of the season. The right-hander shutout the Tigers limiting them to three hits, while striking out nine batters and walking one.
Garrett Wilson led Spalding at the plate going 4-for-4, including three doubles, with two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases.
Matt Harper drove in a team-high four runs going 2-for-3 at the plate including a home run and a double.
Eric Meyer went 3-for-4 scoring two runs and driving in another.
Clay Kelly and Dillon Sievert each went 2-for-4 with Sievert driving in two runs and Kelly scoring one.
FOR THE FOES
Alex Payne, Chazz Brown and Jacob Leonard each had one hit for Iowa Wesleyan.
Everett Swinson (0-2) suffered the loss giving up 10 runs, on 10 hits, in 2.1 innings of action.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
Trailing 1-0 in the first, Clay Kelly singled scoring Garrett Wilson from third to tie the game at one run apiece.
After a pair of IWU runs in the third, Spalding cut the deficit to one run when Joe Hatcher singled to left field driving in Wilson from third.
Spalding tied it in the bottom of the fourth when Matt Harper singled to right center, advanced to second and moved to third on a wild pitch, before coming home on a foul out to first base by Isaac Lineberry.
SU pulled ahead with two runs in the sixth. Harper doubled to center field scoring Quenton Brownlee, and Harper came home on a Lineberry single.
The Golden Eagles added two more runs in the eighth. A Wilson sacrifice bunt allowed Blake Benz to score from third and Dillon Sievert singled to center scoring Lineberry from second.
GAME TWO STAT LEADERS
Designated hitter Kyle Stevens went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.
Isaac Lineberry drove in a team-best two runs going 2-for-4.
Clay Kelly, Joe Hatcher and Matt Harper each finished with two hits and one RBI.
Hayden Davenport (3-0) picked up the win limiting IWU to three runs, on five hits, while striking out eight batters, in 6.2 innings pitched.
FOR THE FOES
Chazz Brown led Iowa Wesleyan at the plate going 3-for-3, while Ben Steorts drove in two RBI.
Cody Brown (2-2) suffered the loss giving up five runs, on 11 hits, in 5.1 innings pitched.
UP NEXT
If weather permits, the Golden Eagles will be back in action Wednesday, March 28 taking on the Eureka Red Devils. First pitch of the SLIAC doubleheader is scheduled for 2:00 pm EST.
