RICHMOND, Ind. — DJ Mendez cleared the bases with a three-run double in the first inning Tuesday evening, staking Wabash College to an early lead that seemed full of promise. By the time the final out was recorded at Sadler Field, however, Earlham College had rattled off 14 unanswered runs to hand the Little Giants a 14-4 non-conference defeat in seven innings.
 
The loss dropped Wabash to 9-18 on the season, while Earlham improved to 18-8.
 
Caleb Ellspermann doubled to left field to open the game, and Landen Basey singled to right field, advancing Ellspermann to third. Ben Henke walked to load the bases, and Mendez doubled to right center, scoring Henke, Basey and Ellspermann to give Wabash a 3-0 lead before the home team had even come to bat.
 
The advantage evaporated in the bottom of the second. Chris Barnett walked, Mac Moore was hit by a pitch and Eric Echeverria walked to load the bases. Sean Jeffries then tripled to left center, driving in Echeverria, Moore and Barnett to tie the game at 3-3. Jonathan Jimenez reached first on a dropped fly ball and advanced to second, with Jeffries scoring an unearned run to put Earlham ahead 4-3. Mitchell Roether singled to left field, scoring Jimenez — also unearned — to push the lead to 5-3.
 
Any hope of a Wabash rally faded as Earlham continued to pour on the offense. Noah Wagster homered to center field in the third inning, stretching the Earlham lead to 6-3. The fourth inning proved to be the knockout punch, as Earlham sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five times to build an 11-3 advantage. Jeffries singled to shortstop, scoring Echeverria — unearned — to make it 7-3. Tucker Williams grounded out to the pitcher for an RBI, scoring Jeffries and extending the lead to 8-3. Wagster then homered down the left-field line, a two-run shot that scored Jimenez, pushing the lead to 10-3. Barnett capped the frame by homering to left center, making it 11-3.
 
Earlham tacked on two more runs in the fifth. Tucker Williams advanced to second on a balk and Austin Dick scored on the same balk, pushing the lead to 12-3. Jake Cane then singled to right field, scoring Williams to make it 13-3.
 
Wabash managed one final moment of life in the sixth when Will Fremion homered to left field, cutting the deficit to 13-4. It was the only run Earlham allowed after the first inning, as the Quaker pitching staff held Wabash scoreless in the second through fifth innings and again in the seventh. Barnett singled to center field in the seventh to score pinch runner Milan Desai, setting the final margin at 14-4.
 
Mendez led the Wabash offense, going 1-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Basey finished 2-for-4, while Ellspermann, Mendez and Nate Brumfield each hit doubles. Fremion accounted for the team's only home run. Wabash finished with eight hits for the game but left seven runners on base and struck out eight times.
 
For Earlham, Jeffries drove in four runs, Wagster knocked in three, and Barnett added two RBI. Wagster hit two home runs and Barnett added one, while Jeffries contributed a triple.
 
On the mound, Miles Williams took the loss, falling to 0-2, after surrendering seven runs — four earned — on three hits over three innings. He walked three, struck out three and hit two batters. Connor Lambert entered in relief in the fourth but could not record an out, giving up two earned runs on one hit while hitting one batter. Jackson Fronek worked one inning, allowing two earned runs on three hits with one strikeout. Adam Gaskill followed with two-thirds of an inning, giving up two earned runs on two hits. Isaac Stallings was the most effective of the Wabash relievers, tossing the final two innings and allowing just one earned run on three hits while walking one and striking out one over 31 pitches.
 
Earlham's Lane Willoughby earned the win, improving to 3-1, after working two innings and allowing three earned runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Christopher Snider pitched three scoreless innings of relief, scattering one hit while striking out three on 44 pitches. Nick Sullivan worked the sixth inning and allowed one run on one hit, and Garret Odey closed out the game with a scoreless seventh for the Quakers.
 
Wabash will look to regroup when it returns to North Coast Athletic Conference play Saturday with a doubleheader at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.