RICHMOND, Ind. – Earlham College Baseball completed a four-game sweep over visiting Wittenberg University with a pair of wins in Monday night's doubleheader against the Tigers at Sadler Stadium.
The Quakers posted a 5-2 victory in game one of Monday's twinbill, and completed the sweep with a 9-5 triumph in the second game.
The two victories give Earlham a 4-0 start for the first time in program history. The 9-5 win in Monday's second game also marked Quaker head coach Steve Sakosits' 150th career victory.
GAME 1
Earlham got on the board first with a three-run first inning, with Addison Robertson doubling home one run and newcomer Josh Wilson singling home two more on his liner into right-center field with two outs.
Dre Davis sacrificed home another run on his fly ball to left field, extending the Quakers' lead to 4-0.
Wittenberg cut the Earlham lead in half with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the third, but the Quakers got one of those runs back in the fourth on a two-out single off the bat of Davis.
Marc Gendreau finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Wilson was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Kyle Gorman picked up the win after fanning four Tiger batters over six innings of work while scattering four hits. Spencer Owen pitched the seventh inning for the Quakers, earning the save. The pair combined to hold Wittenberg to just four hits.
GAME 2
Wittenberg struck first in the final game of the series, with David Hamrick tripling into right field past a diving Kendal Baker to score two runs in the top of the second. Hamrick crossed later in the frame on a Ryan Probst sacrifice fly to center field.
Earlham knotted the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the second, with the Quakers manufacturing their runs on one hit, an error, two walks, a sacrifice fly, and a hit-by-pitch.
The Quakers broke the deadlock with another three-run effort in the third. Ian Bach drew a leadoff walk, and scored on Davis' double off the fence in left-center. Following a walk issued to Kendal Baker, Isaiah Shake singled home Davis to extend Earlham's lead to 5-3. Gendreau plated the final run of the inning with looping base hit into left field, allowing Baker to cross for a 6-3 Quaker lead.
The two teams traded runs in the fourth inning, with the Quakers adding to their lead when Davis doubled home Wilson with one outs.
The scoring kept going with single Quaker runs in the fifth and sixth innings, with the Tigers answering with a run of their own in the sixth.
Gendreau and Davis each had a pair of hits, with Gendreau driving in three runs. Jordan Christian picked up the win in a two-inning relief stint, fanning two batters while not allowing a single hit.
The Quakers finished the game with nine hits, and took advantage of 11 walks issued by Wittenberg pitchers.
Earlham will be back on the diamond on Saturday, March 3, and Sunday, March 4, when it hosts Wilmington College (Ohio) in a four-game series at Sadler Stadium.
For more information about Earlham baseball, visit the online home of Earlham College athletics at www.GoEarlham.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Earlham athletics news by following Earlham Quakers on Facebook (Earlham Quakers Athletics), Twitter (@EarlhamQuakers), and Instagram (EarlhamQuakers).