CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — Ben Henke became the fifth player in Wabash College baseball history to record 200 career hits Saturday, reaching the milestone on a fifth-inning double in the second game of the Little Giants' North Coast Athletic Conference season-ending doubleheader against the College of Wooster at Goodrich Ballpark. Wabash honored its senior class before the start of the twin bill, recognizing players Henry Birk, Caleb Everson, Henke, Connor Lambert, Aidan McConnell, Will McKenzie and Jackson Woehr, along with student assistant coaches Conner Stidham and Jacob Tomich.
Wooster swept the doubleheader, winning the opener 15-1 in eight innings before taking game two 11-4. Wabash finished the season 12-27 overall and 4-12 in NCAC play. Wooster moved to 25-15 overall and 8-8 in conference games.
Henke entered the day with 198 career hits and was held hitless in four at-bats in the opener before collecting three hits in the second game. He doubled down the left-field line in the second inning for hit No. 199, then added another double to left in the fifth inning to become the fifth Wabash player to reach the 200-hit mark. Henke added an infield single in the sixth inning to finish the day with 201 career hits.
Woehr also added his name to the Wabash record book in the opener. The senior right-hander made the 59th appearance of his career, moving into first place on the program's all-time pitching appearances list.
Wooster took control of game one with a seven-run third inning after scoring once in the second. The Scots added two runs in the fourth and five more in the eighth to end the game after eight innings.
Wabash scored its run in the sixth inning. Landen Basey opened the inning with a single to left field, and Will McKinzie followed with a walk. DJ Mendez moved Basey to third with a flyout before Parker Smith doubled down the right-field line to score Basey.
Basey led Wabash in the opener with two hits and a run scored. Smith finished 2-for-3 with a double and the Little Giants' lone RBI. Ryan Williams added a double, while Caleb Ellspermann added a single.
Everson started and took the loss, allowing eight runs on 11 hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Woehr worked 4 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with two walks and one strikeout. Lambert faced five batters in the eighth and allowed five runs on three hits and two walks. Birk recorded the final two outs, allowing one hit.
Wooster finished with 19 hits in the opener. Matt Herlick drove in six runs for the Scots, going 3-for-5 with a home run, a triple and three runs scored. Zack Barienbrock added three hits and two RBIs.
Wabash answered an early Wooster lead in game two with three runs in the second inning. Will Wallace opened the inning with a walk before Bradley Gilliam singled through the right side. Aiden Ramsey doubled down the left-field line to score Wallace and move Gilliam to third. Will Fremion brought home Gilliam with a sacrifice fly, and Henke followed with an RBI double to left to tie the score at 3-3.
Wooster regained the lead with two runs in the third inning, added one in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to build a 9-3 advantage.
The Little Giants scored again in the sixth. Mendez led off with a double to left-center field and moved to third on Ramsey's flyout. Fremion doubled to left field to drive in Mendez. Henke followed with an infield single, but Wabash left two runners on base.
Wooster added two runs in the ninth on RBI singles by Colin Leslie and David Guldin.
Henke finished game two 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI. Ramsey went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Fremion had a double and two RBIs, while Mendez doubled and scored. Wallace, Gilliam and Landen Basey each added one hit.
McConnell started game two and allowed three runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning. Bryce Haney worked 5 1/3 innings in relief and took the loss, allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Nick Wangler pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Trey Pitcock recorded the final two outs, allowing one run on three hits with one walk.
Wooster collected 16 hits in game two. Luke Rizzo went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs. Koa Siu had three hits and scored three runs, and Leslie added three hits and three RBIs.
Wabash finished with 15 hits in the doubleheader. Wooster totaled 35 hits over the two games.
