The Wabash College baseball team finished its spring break trip in Florida over the weekend with two victories over Macalester College. The Little Giants claimed a 7-4 win in the first game, then swept the doubleheader with a 7-3 victory in game two.
A grand slam by senior Mike Mack (Butler, IN/Eastside) led the way for Wabash in game one. After scoring a single run to take the early lead in the first inning, the Little Giants broke it open when Tyler Nance (JR/Celebration, FL/Celebration) led off the fourth by reaching on an error. A base hit by Bill Goff (JR/Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg) and a hit batsman by Chris Sides (SO/Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg) loaded the bases for Mack, who deposited his fifth home run of the season over the fence to give the Little Giants a 5-0 lead.
That was all junior Jon Horne (Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) would need to pick up his second win of the season. Horne went the distance, holding Macalester to four earned runs over seven innings. He added six strikeouts to his season totals while evening his season record at 2-2.
Mack was 2-for-3 in the game with four RBI's. Goff also went 2-for-3 and had an RBI sacrifice fly in the first inning.
The Little Giants played long ball again in their final game in Florida to tie the score at 1-1 after Macalester opened the second game with an early run. A solo home run by Sides started a three-run inning for Wabash after a two-run single by Phil Ramos (SO/Zillah, WA/Zillah) plated Dan Matusik (SR/Highland, IN/Highland) and Nick Rico (SO/Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista). Wabash added four in the third inning when Ramos drilled another two-run single, followed by RBI singles by Scott Hamilton (FR/Indianapolis, IN/Bishop Chatard) and Danny Schubert (JR/Lebanon, IL/Lebanon).
Travis Moore (SO/Crawfordsville, IN/Crawfordsville) threw 4-1/3 innings to earn his first win of the season. He allowed only two earned runs while striking out six. Jared Tarney (FR/Ft. Wayne, IN/Bishop Dwenger) picked up his first save of the season, throwing 2-2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Tarney also struck out five Macalester batters.
Wabash returns to Indiana with an 8-6 overall record after winning six of its last seven games in the Sunshine State. The Little Giants return to action on Saturday afternoon with its first home game of the season. Wabash will play Olivet College at 2:30 p.m. in a nine-inning contest. The two teams will meet again on Sunday afternoon at noon at Mud Hollow Field.