WOOSTER, Ohio --- Wabash earned a split of Saturday's North Coast Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader at the College of Wooster. The Little Giants held a 2-0 lead in the eighth inning of game one before surrendering nine runs in a 9-2 loss. Wabash rebounded with a 6-2 victory in the second game.
 
Wabash improves to 14-11 overall with a 10-4 record in NCAC contests. The Little Giants are guaranteed to finish no worse than fourth place in the conference standings thanks to the split against Wooster a split in Saturday's doubleheader between Oberlin and Kenyon. Denison sits atop the standings with a 9-1 record with doubleheaders remaining against Hiram (Sunday) and Wittenberg (Saturday, May 3). Wooster (19-14, 9-3 NCAC) has two games remaining against Hiram to be played on Tuesday. Wittenberg is also 9-3 in conference games and plays two-game series against Oberlin on Tuesday before ending the regular season at Denison.   
 
The top-four finish secures a berth for the Little Giants in the upcoming NCAC Baseball Tournament to be played May 8-10 at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio. The Little Giants last played in the conference tournament in 2023 and earned it last NCAC Tournament title in 2018.
 
GAME 1 | Wooster 9, Wabash 2

Wabash took a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning, but could not hang on and fell 9-2 to Wooster on Saturday.
 
Wabash was paced offensively by Will McKinzie, who went 2-for-4 on the day with a double and an RBI. DJ Mendez also put together a noteworthy performance at the dish, going 2-for-4. Ryan Keating also helped out for Wabash, putting together one hit in four trips to the plate while adding an RBI.
 
Aidan McConnell started the ballgame and went 7.1 innings, surrendering two runs, both earned, on four hits, walking none and striking out two. He owned a perfect game through 5-2/3 innings before surrendering a two-out hit in the sixth. McConnell left the game in the eighth with a 2-0 lead. Robbie Manuzzi (3-1) took the loss on the mound for Wabash.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Little Giants got on the scoreboard first, starting in the third inning. Wabash got an RBI single from McKinzie, scoring Caleb Ellspermann from second base.
 
The Little Giants held the Fighting Scots scoreless before scoring again in the next inning. Wabash scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Keating, which brought the score to 2-0 in favor of the Little Giants. Wabash could not hold the lead, as Wooster scored nine times in the eighth inning for the 9-2 win.
 
GAME NOTES
» Wabash's highest-scoring inning was the fourth when it pushed one run across.
» McConnell put together 7.1 innings of two-run ball for Wabash.
» Wabash pitchers faced 38 Wooster hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out three.
» McKinzie led the Little Giants at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

GAME 2 | Wabash 6, Wooster 2

Wabash got contributions from every part of its lineup, as all nine starters reached base safely, helping the Little Giants put six runs on the board and take down the Fighting Scots 6-2 in game two on Saturday.
Jarrod Kirsch (3-0) started on the mound and picked up the win for Wabash. The southpaw went 6.2 innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on three hits, allowing two walks and striking out six. Jackson Woehr also made an impact on the mound for the Little Giants, throwing 2.1 shutout innings while allowing two hits, with no walks and two strikeouts.
 
In the batter's box, the Little Giants were paced by Ben Henke, who went 3-for-5 on the day with two doubles and an RBI. Evan Neukam also put together a standout day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Keating also chipped in for Wabash, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding two RBI.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Little Giants put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. Neukam came across to score the lone run of the inning for Wabash and get on the scoreboard.
 
The Fighting Scots then tied the ballgame at one before the Little Giants came back to reclaim their advantage in the sixth inning. Henke came across to score the lone run of the inning for Wabash on a sacrifice fly from Phillips to extend the Little Giants lead to 2-1.
 
Wabash held Wooster scoreless before expanding its lead to 5-1 the following inning. An RBI single by Camden Scheidt, a run-scoring double off the bat of Henke, and an RBI groundout from Neukem plated three runs for the Little Giants.
 
The Fighting Scots gained ground, closing the gap to 5-2 until Wabash added some insurance in the ninth. Neukam crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for the Little Giants, bringing the score to 6-2 in favor of Wabash. The score remained 6-2 for the rest of the game as the Little Giants coasted to the win.
 
GAME NOTES
» Wabash got three-hit games from both Neukam and Henke.
» Kirsch struck out six Fighting Scots hitters.
» The Little Giants' power output was led by Henke, who had two extra-base hits in the ballgame.
» Every Wabash starter reached base safely in the win.
» Wabash's highest-scoring inning was the seventh when it pushed three runs across.
» The Little Giants had control of the rest of the game after moving ahead of the Fighting Scots 1-0 in the top of the second.
» Kirsch put together 6.2 innings of two-run ball for the Little Giants.
» Four Little Giants had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Little Giants out-hit the Fighting Scots at a 13-5 clip.
» Wabash went 3-for-10 (.300) with runners in scoring position.
» Wabash pitchers faced 33 Wooster hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out eight.
» The Little Giants drew four walks from Wooster pitching.
» Henke led the Little Giants at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI.

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