Wabash swept its two-game series against Wittenberg at home Tuesday afternoon. The Little Giants rallied for a 5-3 win in game one before scoring two runs in the first inning of game two for a 2-0 victory over the Tigers in game two.
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Wabash (18-5, 5-1 NCAC) rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the opener by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Jackson Blevins opened the inning with a double to right center before advancing to third on an errant throw on a pickoff attempt. He came home with the first run of the game for the Little Giants on a ground out by
Bryce Aldridge.
Andrew Jumonville followed with a one-out single then tied the score at 2-2 on an
Eric Chavez two-out double. Three consecutive walks, including a bases-loaded free pass to
Jared Wolfe, scored the third run of the inning to provide a 3-2 lead.
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Wittenberg (7-17, 2-4 NCAC) tied the score at 3-3 in the fifth inning. Wabash regained the lead in the eighth. Jumonville started the frame with a double, then scored when pinch-hitter
Joe House drilled a double down the left-field line. House scored the final run of the game on a chop base hit by Chavez that the Tigers threw away for the 5-3 Wabash lead.
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Kevin O'Donnell earned the win in relief of starter
Sean Smith. O'Donnell pitched a flawless eighth inning to secure the win. Smith pitched four innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits. He surrendered five walks with one strike out.
Eric Murphy took over for Smith, holding Wittenberg to one hit and one walk over three innings.
Zach Moffett picked up his fourth save of the season by facing four batters in the ninth inning. He allowed one hit and struck out one batter.
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The victory gave Wabash head coach his 200
th career win. Martin coached for seven season at DePauw University with an overall record of 161-138 before returning to his alma mater in 2017, going 22-16.
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Wabash scored early in game two when Blevins launched a 1-0 pitch over the center field fence to bing home
Sean Roginski with the two-run homer. Those would be the only runs of the game. Starter
Kurt Lange improved to 1-1 with his six-inning, four-hit outing. He walked one batter and struck out three. His older brother,
Erich Lange, struck out all three batters he faced in relief in the seventh inning. O'Donnell added two struck outs in an inning of work in the eighth before Moffett picked up save number five with a 1-2-3 ninth inning with one strikeout.
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Blevins finished with four hits and two RBI in the two games. Jumonville and Chavez both recorded four hits on the day, as well. Roginski added three hits and extended his consecutive games reaching base streak to 21 games.
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Wabash heads to Earlham College for a 6 p.m. non-conference contest Wednesday evening before returning home to face the College of Wooster in North Coast Athletic Conference action Saturday.
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