Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Cory Guinn
WILSON, N.C. – Senior Mitchell Wheeler hit two home runs, including a two-run walk-off blast, to give the Barton College baseball team an 8-7 victory over the Warriors of Southern Wesleyan in the second game of Friday's doubleheader.
The Warriors defeated the Bulldogs in the first game of the evening with a 4-3 win in 10 innings of play.
With the split, Barton's overall record moved to 14-21 on the season and 8-11 in Conference Carolinas play as Southern Wesleyan's record now stands at 8-27 overall and 4-16 within the league.
Game One: Southern Wesleyan 4 Barton 3 (Ten inn.)
The first game of the weekend began as somewhat of a pitcher's duel after Southern Wesleyan went ahead 1-0 in the first inning.
Barton would wait until the bottom of the third inning to get on the scoreboard as sophomore Calvin Hawke reached first with a lead-off bunt single. Hawke scored two batters later on a throwing error by the Southern Wesleyan right fielder after a Spiers Miller single. Miller advanced all the way to third on the error, coming across to score on a groundout by fellow senior Avery Harper for a 2-1 Barton lead.
Following a scoreless fourth, the Warriors tied the game at 2-2 on an RBI triple from Michael Hyman off the left field fence, taking a 3-2 lead in top of the sixth inning on an RBI single from Julio Lara.
In the bottom of the seventh inning of play, freshman Hunter Pearre led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hawke. Sophomore Tyler Garrett then doubled to left field, bringing Pearre home and tying the game at three runs apiece.
Neither side was able to gain any momentum through the eighth nor ninth innings until a solo home run from Josh Shimp gave the Warriors a 4-3 lead in the top of the tenth inning. Barton was able to put runners on second and third with two out in the bottom of the inning but the final batter went down swinging to end the threat.
Senior Kyle Rufer went five innings in his eighth start of the season, allowing three runs on seven hits with a season-high five strikeouts and just one walk. Sophomore Kerry Walker (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing just one run on four hits and a career-high six strikeouts in five innings of relief.
Garrett led the Bulldog offense with a 2-for-5 performance including two doubles an RBI and a stolen base. Junior Nick McKinney was 2-for-4 in the game, while Pearre was 1-for-2 with a run scored after coming into the game in the sixth inning as a defensive replacement.
Game Two: Barton 8 Southern Wesleyan 7 (Seven inn.)
Barton struck first in the final game of the night, building an early 5-0 lead after three innings of play.
An RBI single for sophomore Andrew Webster and a bases loaded walk to fellow sophomore Shawn Montren gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 edge in the first inning. In the third, Wheeler led off the inning with a solo home run to left field before a two-run blast from Montren in the third gave Barton a five-run lead.
In the fourth, an RBI double from Lara scored one and an RBI single by Johnny Ponder plated two as Barton's lead stood at 5-3. Southern Wesleyan used a four-run fifth take the lead and build a 7-5 advantage over the Bulldogs.
Following a strikeout to begin the bottom of the fifth, Pearre reached on a walk, advancing to second on a balk and stealing third before an RBI single for Wheeler brought Barton within one run with an inning to play.
The Warriors would go down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, giving Barton one final chance to even the score.
After Webster led off the seventh with a single to center field, Montren moved the runner to second with a sacrifice bunt. The next batter struck out looking before redshirt-junior was inserted into the game as a pinch runner for Webster at second base.
With two outs and a runner in scoring position, Wheeler fouled off the first two pitches of his at-bat. On the third pitch of the series the senior connected on an 0-2 pitch, sending the ball over the scoreboard in left field and giving Barton the 8-7 walk-off victory and ending a seven-game losing streak.
Wheeler was 3-for-4 at the plate in game two with two home runs, two runs scored and four RBI, while Montren was 1-for-2 with a walk, a home run and three RBI of his own. Webster finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI as well.
Senior Zach Breen gave up six runs (four earned) on five hits with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work before giving way to freshman Andrew Davis who allowed one run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in just 1/3 of an inning.
Freshman right-hander Paschal Ammons (1-0) earned his first career victory in the game, pitching 2.1 innings of hitless relief with a career-high five strikeouts in his ninth appearance of the season.
Barton and Southern Wesleyan will conclude the three-game series with a single game tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. at Nixon Field.
