Wednesday, March 25, 2009
#29 Wayne State 10 Washburn 8
#29 Wayne State College won their ninth straight baseball game Wednesday afternoon, outlasting Washburn University 10-8 in a non-conference game played in Topeka, Kansas. The Wildcats improved to 13-5 with the win while dropping the Ichabods to 12-10. Joe Wendte (grand slam) and Justin Hemauer (three-run) each homered to boost Wayne State in the win.
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the top of the second when Alex Koch doubled and later scored on Treye Hacker's sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. Washburn then roughed up WSC starter Eric Schwieger for five runs in the second inning to grab a 5-1 lead, but the Wildcats countered quickly in the third inning with three runs to get right back in the contest. Jake Ritzdorf walked, Brandon Polk doubled and both scored on Justin Hemauer's three-run homer to pull the 'Cats within one run at 5-4.
WSC tied the score in the fifth inning when Nick Bidroski walked and later scored on Josh Yost's RBI groundout. The 'Cats took the lead for good in the sixth inning by using a walk and two hit batters to set up Joe Wendte's two-out grand slam to right center field to give WSC a 9-5 lead. Washburn scored two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to cut the Wildcat lead to 9-8, but Wayne State scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning when Yost reached base on a third strike wild pitch and scored on a double by Alex Koch to make the final score 10-8.
Washburn had 12 hits in the game to 10 for Wayne State. Wendte finished 2 for 4 with a homer and four RBI's to pace the Wildcats at the plate followed by Koch, who was 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles. Bidroski went 2 for 3 with a double and Hemauer had a three-run homer to highlight Wayne State's top hitters. Defensively, the Wildcats were solid by turning three double plays against Washburn.
Sam Rathbun (1-0) earned the win on the mound in relief of starter Eric Schwieger. Rathbun worked four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits with one strikeout and two walks. Schwieger was charged with five runs in one inning of work. Tom Doran and Tyler Gutierrez relieved Rathbun with Doran allowing two runs on three hits in one inning while Gutierrez picked up the save working the final three innings, allowing just two hits and one run with three strikeouts and one walk.
Wayne State was scheduled to face #3 Emporia State in a nine-inning game in Topeka shortly after 5:00 p.m. in the second game of the day for the Wildcats.