CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — Wabash College dedicated its new artificial turf infield Saturday afternoon, then celebrated by sweeping Ohio Wesleyan in a North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader at Birdzell Field at Goodrich Ballpark. The new surface was dedicated before first pitch in honor of John Birdzell, Class of 1961, and his wife, JoAnn, in recognition of their generous gift to the project before the Little Giants followed with 5-3 and 7-4 victories.

The sweep pushed Wabash to 8-17 overall and 3-5 in NCAC play, with the Little Giants winning their fourth game in the last five contests.

In the opener, senior right-hander Caleb Everson turned in a complete-game effort, limiting the Battling Bishops to three runs on eight hits over nine innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Everson improved to 3-1 on the season and controlled the game until Ohio Wesleyan's late two-run homer in the ninth.

Wabash broke the scoreless deadlock in the fifth inning. DJ Mendez opened the frame by getting hit by a pitch, Jimmy Hawksworth followed with a single, and Bradley Gilliam's bunt single loaded the bases. Will Fremion then bounced into a double play that allowed Mendez to score for a 1-0 lead.

The Little Giants delivered the decisive blow in the sixth. Landen Basey tripled to center to start the inning and scored on Ben Henke's RBI single. Will Wallace followed with a single, and after another hit batter, Hawksworth reached on an Ohio Wesleyan throwing error that brought home Henke and Wallace. Gilliam added an RBI single later in the inning to cap a four-run surge and extend the lead to 5-0.

Ohio Wesleyan finally answered in the ninth when Luke Johnson singled ahead of Nik Hilton's two-run homer to left, trimming the margin to 5-3 before Everson closed the door.

Basey led the six-hit attack by going 1-for-4 with a triple and a run scored. Henke finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run, Wallace scored once, and Hawksworth and Gilliam each drove in a run. Gilliam also had two hits, while Hawksworth scored once and added an RBI.

The nightcap featured another fast Wabash start after Ohio Wesleyan struck first with two runs in the top of the opening inning on RBI singles by Nate Colyer and Luke Johnson.

The Little Giants answered immediately in the bottom half. Ryan Williams walked and moved to second on Ben Henke's single before DJ Mendez doubled to left to plate Williams and cut the deficit to 2-1.

Wabash seized control with a four-run third inning. Williams singled to start the rally, Mendez doubled home the first run, and Hawksworth ripped a double down the left-field line to score another. Caleb Ellspermann followed with an RBI single, then stole second while Hawksworth raced home on a double steal to make it 5-2.

The Little Giants added a run in the fifth when Ellspermann reached and later scored on Gilliam's RBI single, pushing the lead to 6-2. Ohio Wesleyan cut it to 6-4 in the sixth on Marcus Suwinski's two-run triple, but Wabash answered again in the seventh. Will Fremion reached on an error, advanced on Henke's groundout, and came home on Parker Smith's RBI single for the final 7-4 margin.

Sophomore left-hander Jarrod Kirsch earned the win with seven strong innings, allowing four runs—three earned—on eight hits with one walk and eight strikeouts to improve to 1-4. Freshman Bryce Haney worked the final two scoreless innings, striking out two to preserve the sweep.

Wabash pounded out 14 hits in game two. Henke led the way by going 3-for-5 with a double. Mendez went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and a run scored.

Ellspermann finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs, Hawksworth went 1-for-5 with a double, RBI, run scored, and the steal of home, and Smith drove in two runs. Gilliam added an RBI hit, while Williams scored twice before Aiden Ramsey scored a run after entering as a pinch runner.

For the doubleheader, Henke totaled four hits, Mendez drove in three runs, and Hawksworth continued his productive weekend with key RBI knocks in both games.

Wabash returns to action at home Monday at 4 p.m. against Eureka College in a single nine-inning contest.