Wabash College senior third baseman AJ Reid became the first Little Giant baseball player to hit for the cycle in modern history. Reid and his teammates earned a doubleheader sweep over Hiram College in a pair of North Coast Athletic Conference games played at the University of Mount Union Saturday afternoon due to unplayable field conditions at Hiram. Wabash won game one 12-7 before completing the sweep with a 17-3 victory in game two.
Reid opened game two with a single in the first inning. He launched his team-leading fifth home run of the season with a solo shot in the fourth inning after driving in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second. Reid picked up a double in the eighth inning, then completed the cycle with a two-run triple in the ninth inning as part of an eight-run series finale. Reid finished with seven hits and seven RBI in the doubleheader.
Wabash (13-13, 3-3 NCAC) collected 35 hits on the day.
GAME 1 | Wabash 12, Hiram 7
Seniors Kamden Earley and Reid each collected three hits to help power Wabash to a 12-7 win over Hiram in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader played at the University of Mount Union due to field conditions at Hiram.
In addition to his three hits, Reid had a walk and two RBI to lead Wabash. Earley added two doubles and three RBI to his three-hit performance as well. Junior Evan Neukam also helped out for Wabash, putting together one hit in four trips to the plate while adding his home run and two RBI.
Junior Grant Stratton (2-1) started on the mound and picked up the win for Wabash (12-12, 2-3). The right-hander went 5.1 innings, giving up four runs, two earned, on seven hits, allowing two walks and striking out four. Gavin Pierson limited Hiram (12-13, 2-6) to two earned runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out five in three innings. Matthew Wright retired the game's final two batters to secure the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Little Giants got on the board with one run in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by William McKinzie. Wabash added another run in the inning on a RBID double by Earley and a run-scoring ground out from Nick Logan.
The Little Giants held the Terriers scoreless before getting back on the board the next inning. Sophomore Benjamin Henke came across to score the lone run of the inning for Wabash on an RBI groundout by Camden Scheidt to push the lead to 4-0.
Hiram narrowed Wabash's lead to 4-1 before the Little Giants stretched the advantage to 5-1 in the third inning. Henke drove in a run with his groundout to bring Earley home with the fifth run of the game.
The Terriers gained ground, closing the gap to 5-2 until Wabash added some insurance in the sixth. The Little Giants scored seven runs in the inning, highlighted by a two-run home run off the bat of Evan Neukam and a two-run double from Earley, bringing the Wabash advantage to 12-2.
GAME NOTES
» Wabash got three-hit games from both Reid and Earley.
» Junior Gavin Pierson struck out five Terriers hitters.
» The Little Giants power output was led by Earley, who compiled two extra-base hits in the ballgame.
» Wabash's highest-scoring inning was the sixth when it scored seven runs.
» Wabash took a 3-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Five Little Giants had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Wabash went 7-for-17 (.412) with runners in scoring position.
» Wabash pitchers faced 46 Hiram hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out nine.
» The Little Giants drew five walks from Hiram pitching.
» Earley led the Little Giants at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI.
GAME 2 | Wabash 17, Hiram 3
HOW IT HAPPENED
Wabash jumped out to an early lead with a three-run first inning. Reid drove in one run with two more scoring on miscues by the Terriers. The Little Giants added a run in the second and two more in the fourth and fifth innings. Wabash took a 9-2 lead into the ninth inning before exploding for eight runs in the final frame. The Little Giants finished the game with 22 hits.
Sophomore Dylan Haslett (4-2) got the win out of the bullpen for Wabash. The right-hander went four shutout innings, giving up four hits, one walk, and striking out three. Nicklaus Wangler started and worked four innings, limiting Hiram to two runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
GAME NOTES
» Wabash got four-hit games from both Henke and Reid.
» The Little Giants had both Henke and Reid crush multiple extra-base hits in the ballgame.
» Reid drove in five runs for Wabash.
» Every Wabash starter reached base safely in the win.
» Wabash's highest-scoring inning was the ninth when it scored eight runs.
» Wabash grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Eight Little Giants had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Little Giants had a total of 22 hits.
» The Little Giants out-hit the Terriers at a 22-10 clip.
» Wabash turned four double plays in the ballgame.
» Wabash went 9-for-21 (.429) with runners in scoring position.
» Wabash pitchers limited Hiram to just 1-for-7 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
» Wabash pitchers faced 37 Hiram hitters in the game, allowing 14 ground balls and one fly ball while striking out eight.
» The Little Giants drew six walks from Hiram pitching.
» Reid led the Little Giants at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, a home run, and five RBI.
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