CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Wesley College used a six-run fourth inning to break the game open and took a 9-2 final from Washington (Md.).
Kevin Murphy (Middletown, Md./Middletown) had a pair of hits in the game to move his hitting streak to 41 games. It ties him for the fifth longest streak in Division III history and is tied for the 15th longest streak in NCAA history.
An RBI single by the senior in the third extended the streak and put Wesley (9-1) ahead 1-0.
The Wolverines exploded for six runs the following inning, including four before the Shoremen (0-2) recorded an out. A run scoring single by Steve Perone (Skillman, N.J./Montogomery) got things started and two batters later, Billy Crowe (Newark, Del./Salesianum) ripped a two-run single that made it 4-0. After a fly ball out, Jon Carlson (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) cleared the bases with his first homer as a Wolverine, a three-run shot to left field that gave Wesley a seven-run lead.
Wesley's starting pitcher, Jordan Lozzi (Forest Hill, Md./Fallston), meanwhile, shut down Washington, allowing just two hits over the first five innings. In the sixth, however, Tyler Cotterell doubled in a run and scored on a sacrifice fly by John Rolewicz as the Shoremen made it 7-2.
The Wolverines stretched the lead back to seven in the eighth on a ground out by Corey Jefferson (Wilmington, Del./Archmere) that plated a run before Greg McKee (Dover, Del./Caesar Rodney) walked with the bases loaded to bring home another.
Rob Benedict (Drexel Hill, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) was 3-for-5 in the game with a triple and also stole a base to remain perfect in 11 attempts this season. Perone recorded two hits in the contest.
Lozzi picked up the win, striking out eight in seven innings. He scattered four hits and two walks. Shane Yost (Wilmington, Del./Concord) and Zach Stuart (Palmyra, Pa/Palmyra Area) combined to keep the Shoremen off the scoreboard over the final two innings.
Shane Mattingly pitched the first three innings for Washington and allowed one run to take the loss.
Cotterell and Ryan Normoyle had two hits apiece in the loss.
The Wolverines kick off Capital Athletic Conference play with a road trip to York (Pa.) on March 4.