WAYNE – Ever since late March the Wayne State College baseball team has played 10 games at home, but were listed as the visiting team in eight of those games due to snow/field conditions up north. Wednesday afternoon the ‘Cats entertained Southwest Minnesota State as the home team.
From the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex, it was also the host of Sexual Assault Awareness Month during Fill The Hill.
In the opening game with the Mustangs, Wayne State College started the scoring with a run in the second followed by two runs in the third to lead 3-0. WSC then added a run in the fifth while the Southwest Minnesota State rallied in the top of the seventh scoring four runs. Wayne State College then won the opening game on a wild pitch.
Game one:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 6 0 – SMSU
0 1 2 0 1 0 1 5 6 1 – WSC
Junior Travis Miller produced a two-run homer and single to pace WSC at the plate. Senior Tanner Simons doubled while fellow senior David Janes, freshman Andrew Hansen and sophomore Bryce Bisenius each singled. Junior Garrett Graveline accounted for a RBI groundout.
Sophomore Lawson Zenner picked up the win (3-3) in a third of an inning getting the final batter to flyout in the seventh inning. Sophomore Aidan Breedlove started the game and worked six and two-third innings allowing four runs (one earned) off of six hits while striking out nine batters and walking one.
During the second contest, WSC was the first to get on the board with a run in the first inning. The ‘Cats then tacked on two more runs in the third and one in the fourth to lead 4-0. Southwest Minnesota State scored a run in the fifth before both teams failed to score in the next three innings. The Mustangs again made it tough for WSC while scoring two runs in the top of the ninth, but Wayne State held on for the 4-3 win. With the sweep the ‘Cats improve to 11-17 (9-9 NSIC) while the Mustangs fall to 9-15 (4-10 NSIC).
Game two:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 6 2 – SMSU
1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 X 4 6 1 – WSC
Miller led the ‘Cats at the plate with a pair of singles, double and two RBI. Sophomore Peyton Barnes followed with two singles and a RBI while Bisenius doubled. Janes also accounted for a RBI.
Sophomore Hunter Wienhoff picked up the complete game win (3-3) in nine innings allowing three runs (two earned) off of six hits while striking out 10 batters.
The Wayne State College baseball team is next scheduled to host Northern State during a four-game series on Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15 pending weather. Game times are slated for Noon and 2 p.m. each day.
