DANVILLE, Ky. — The Wabash College baseball team dropped both games of Saturday's doubleheader at Centre College, falling 8–7 in the opener on a ninth-inning rally before the Colonels pulled away for a 12–6 victory in the nightcap to start the Little Giants' spring break trip.
Centre 8, Wabash 7
The Little Giants (3-4) erased an early four-run deficit and briefly grabbed the lead late in game one, but Centre (9-2) answered with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure an 8–7 comeback victory.
Wabash finished with seven runs on seven hits and drew seven walks but left eight runners on base in the one-run loss.
The Little Giants threatened immediately in the top of the first inning when Caleb Ellspermann doubled to left field and advanced to third on a flyout, but Centre starter Isaac Rone escaped the jam with a strikeout to keep the game scoreless.
Centre struck first in the second inning when Evan Rygalski launched a two-run home run to left field to give the Colonels a 2–0 advantage.
Wabash answered in the third inning. Ellspermann singled and later moved to third after a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases. DJ Mendez drove in the Little Giants' first run with a sacrifice fly to center field, trimming the deficit to 2–1.
Centre responded in the bottom of the third with two home runs. Forrest Day opened the inning with a solo shot, and Ayden Lohr followed later with a two-run homer to left-center field to extend the Colonels' lead to 5–1.
Wabash mounted its comeback in the sixth inning. Ben Henke and Mendez drew walks to open the rally before Miles Cvelbar doubled to right-center field to score Henke. Aiden Ramsey followed with a single that plated Mendez and moved Cvelbar to third.
Ramsey later scored on a fielder's choice, and Cvelbar crossed the plate on a Centre throwing error to tie the contest at 5–5.
The Little Giants grabbed their first lead in the seventh inning. Mendez doubled to left field before Parker Smith blasted a two-run home run to right-center field to put Wabash ahead 6–5.
Centre mounted the decisive rally in the ninth. Chase Austin led off with a double before Lohr delivered his second home run of the game, a two-run shot to left field that gave the Colonels a 7–6 advantage. After a single by Evan Weyler and a Wabash error moved him to third, Aaron Lopez added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 8–6.
Wabash scored once more but could not complete the comeback.
Caleb Everson started on the mound for the Little Giants and struck out seven batters over 5? innings while allowing five runs on seven hits. Trey Pitcock added 2? innings of relief with two strikeouts before Finn Randolph took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the ninth.
Ellspermann led Wabash with two hits and a run scored. Mendez doubled, scored twice, and drove in a run, while Smith finished with a two-run homer. Cvelbar added an RBI double and Ramsey contributed a run-scoring single.
Lohr powered the Centre offense with two home runs and four RBI as part of a 10-hit effort by the Colonels.
Centre 12, Wabash 6
Centre completed the sweep of Saturday's doubleheader by defeating the Little Giants 12–6 in game two after the start of the contest was delayed due to weather.
Wabash collected eight hits and drew eight walks but stranded 13 runners, while Centre produced 15 hits to improve to 9-2.
The Little Giants struck first in the opening inning when Ben Henke doubled down the right-field line and scored on an RBI single by DJ Mendez to give Wabash a 1–0 lead.
Centre answered with four runs in the bottom of the first. After an RBI groundout by Graham Johnson tied the game, a Wabash error allowed three additional unearned runs to score and put the Colonels ahead 4–1.
Wabash closed the gap in the second inning without recording a hit. Miles Cvelbar scored on a fielder's choice that included a throwing error before Will McKinzie lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Will Fremion and make it a 4–3 contest.
Centre extended its lead in the third inning with four runs. Baylor Woodall delivered a sacrifice bunt to score one run before J.T. Weisberg added an RBI double, Chase Austin followed with a run-scoring single, and Aaron Lopez walked with the bases loaded to push the lead to 8–3.
The Little Giants again chipped away in the fourth. Aiden Ramsey singled and later scored on an RBI single by Caleb Ellspermann before Henke added a sacrifice fly to score Jimmy Hawksworth and cut the deficit to 8–5.
Centre added two runs in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Evan Weyler and an RBI single from Lopez to extend the margin to 10–5.
Wabash plated its final run in the seventh inning when Will Fremion tripled to right-center field to score Ramsey and trim the deficit to 10–6.
The Colonels sealed the victory in the eighth inning with a sacrifice fly by Weisberg and an RBI triple by Ayden Lohr.
Mendez led Wabash with two hits and an RBI, while Henke finished with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Ellspermann added a hit and RBI, Fremion tripled and drove in a run, and Ramsey scored twice.
Jarrod Kirsch took the loss after allowing eight runs (five earned) on nine hits with five strikeouts over 2? innings. Jackson Fronek provided a scoreless inning in relief, and Ethan Kimmerle added a scoreless frame with one strikeout.
Tommy Severson earned the win for Centre with 5? innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits while striking out seven.
Ayden Lohr led the Colonels offensively with four hits, while Austin, Weyler, and Lopez each added two hits as Centre finished with 15 hits.
The Little Giants and Colonels conclude the three-game series Sunday with a noon first pitch.
