RICHMOND, Ind. – Earlham College baseball improved to 6-0 on the young 2018 season with a doubleheader sweep over Wilmington College (Ohio) on Saturday afternoon at Randal R. Sadler Stadium.
Earlham posted a 6-3 win over Wilmington in Saturday's first game, and followed up by coming out on top 14-7 in a slugfest in game two.
Earlham baseball pounded out a combined 30 hits off Wilmington over the two games, while Maroon and White pitchers recorded 15 strikeouts on the day. Earlham's 20 hits in Saturday's second game versus the Ohio Quakers was the most since charting 22 hits in a 20-11 win over Olivet College on March 8, 2017.
GAME 1
Earlham did most of its offensive damage in the third and fifth innings with two runs in each frame. The Quakers manufactured the pair of runs in the third on two hits, a walk, a sac fly, and two Wilmington errors. The Earlham fifth was punctuated by a two-run double off the bat of Ian Bach, scoring Andrew McFadden and Addison Robertson.
The Maroon and White tacked on a single run in the sixth off a triple into right field by Alec Bryan, who scored on a throwing error by the right fielder.
Earlham's bid for the shutout was spoiled by Wilmington's three-run uprising in the ninth off three hits, including an RBI double from Luke Kleindl.
Robertson finished the game 4-for-4 with a run and an RBI in the clean-up spot, while Marc Gendreau had a pair of hits with one run and one RBI.
Starter Walter Talcott lasted eight complete innings for the win, fanning nine Wilmington batters and scattering three hits.
Kyle Short paced Wilmington at the plate with a pair of hits.
GAME 2
A six-run seventh inning for Earlham College blew what had been a somewhat close game wide open, extending the Maroon and White's lead in the contest to 13-3. Anthony Morgan belted a two-run single to anchor the frame, while Bach, McFadden, Gendreau, and Sam Sprockett each logged RBI singles.
Earlham tacked on a single run in the eighth on a base hit from James Grace that scored Dorian Holmes, extending the Maroon and White lead to 14-3.
Wilmington tried to make things interesting in the ninth with four runs off reliever Tyler Netzley, with doubles by Josh Chua and Jake Hyatt each scoring runs.
Starter Colin Greve got the win for the Indiana Quakers, lasting five innings and striking out five while allowing just three runs on eight hits. Wilmington starter Jared Ferenchak took the loss after surrendering five runs, three earned, on seven hits in three innings of work.
Gendreau, Bach, and McFadden each had three hits for Earlham, with Bach also charting three RBI.
Earlham and Wilmington will complete their four-game series on Sunday, March 4, with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. 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).