Wabash split its Saturday doubleheader with Wittenberg University, losing 2-1 in game one before winning 10-2 in the finale to claim a 3-1 advantage in the four-game series against the Tigers.
After winning both games Friday, the Little Giants jumped out to a quick start Saturday with a leadoff double by
Jared Wolfe in the first game of the day. Wabash was unable to move Wolfe any further than third base, a common theme for the team in the contest. The Little Giants stranded 10 base runners over the course of nine innings. Wabash stranded the bases loaded after taking a one-run lead in the second inning thanks to a single by
Nick Chao.
Wittenberg tied the game in the fourth off an RBI single by Dalton Boucher, than took the lead in the seventh on an unearned run. The Tigers (9-19, 4-10 NCAC West) made the lead hold up to prevent Wabash from taking a series sweep. The Little Giants collected nine hits, led by
Sean Roginski,
Erich Lange, and
Tyler Downing with two hits apiece.
Michael Herrmann took the loss despite holding Wittenberg to five hits, two walks, and one earned run over eight innings. He struck out five batters.
Luke Dant pitched the ninth inning, allowing one hit in the four batters he faced.
Lange broke open game two with a two-run triple down the right field line as part of a six-run sixth inning for Wabash in its 10-2 win. The Little Giants took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on
Andrew Roginski's solo home run to left field. The Tigers tied the game in fourth, then added a run in the top of the fifth for a 2-1 lead in the fifth. The Little Giants rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth when
Eric Chavez drove Chao home from second with a single to center.
Lange brought
Bryce Aldridge and
Andrew Roginski home with his smash down the right field line for the standup triple with no outs in the sixth, then came home on a wild pitch to make it a 5-2 game. Chavez added another run with a bases-loaded walk to stretch the lead to 6-2.
Andrew Roginski added two more runs with a single. Lange drove home two more runs in the eighth inning to close out the victory.
Lange finished the game with four RBI in a 2-for-5 effort from the plate.
Andrew Roginski pounded out three hits and three RBI.
Sean Roginski add a pair of hits for Wabash.
Cody Cochran earned his second victory of the season with strong innings of work as the Little Giants' starting pitcher. He scattered six hits and three walks and allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings with three strikeouts.
Ryan Thomas prevented any thoughts of a Wittenberg comeback by holding the Tigers to a lone hit and baserunner on a hit batsman over three innings of relief work. He struck out three batters including the final Wittenberg player to step to the plate in the ninth.
Wabash (16-13, 5-7 NCAC West) continues its homestand with a single nine-inning game against Earlham College on April 19th.
Â