Wabash and Heidelberg combined for 47 hits in two games, splitting Sunday afternoon's doubleheader. Heidelberg took an 8-6 win in game one before Wabash rallied for a 7-6 victory in game two.
The Little Giants trailed 5-1 through 5-1/2 innings of the second game before rallying for six runs in the bottom of the sixth. Billy King opened the inning with a walk, advancing to third when a pickoff attempt by the Student Princes hit the dirt and bounced into foul territory. Jared Bogan picked up one of his four singles in the game to score King for the first run of the inning. A walk to Chris Sides and single by Shaun Rico loaded the bases for shortstop Matt Dodaro.
Earlier in the game Dodaro produced the first Wabash run on an RBI single to score Bogan. This time Dodaro would up the ante, plating two runs with a double to the left centerfield gap. A wild pitch sent Rico home and Dodaro to third base. Phil Ramos added another run when his ground out to short allowed Dodaro to score.
Wabash wasn't done scoring in the inning, however. Sophomore outfielder David Culp drilled a pitch over the right field fence for his first home run in a Wabash uniform. In all the Little Giants picked up six runs on just four hits in the inning.
That would be all the runs reliever Nick Rico would need. The senior worked just 1/3 of an inning in relief of Andy Weeks, but the run support allowed Rico to pick up his first victory of the season. Senior Travis Moore worked the last three innings to notch his first save of the season, holding the Student Princes to one run on one hit with three strikeouts and two walks.
Bogan was 4-for-4 in the game, while Dodaro added two hits and three RBIs. Shaun Rico and Culp each had two hits.
For the second day in a row a late Wabash rally came up just short, this time leading to a two-run loss in the first game Sunday. The Little Giants took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Scott Hamilton, scoring Dodaro after the shortstop reached base on a fielder's choice. But Heidelberg answered with a three runs in the fourth and two in the sixth to take a 5-1 lead.
The Little Giants responded with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth. Bogan singled with one out to set up Sides for a two-run homer over the left field wall, his fourth home run of the season. Heidelberg answered with two runs of its own in the seventh, taking a 7-3 lead.
Wabash would add two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, scoring once again with the long ball. Culp led off the innning with a walk, bringing second baseman Mike Nowak to the plate. The freshman launched an offering over the right field fence, trimming the Heidelberg lead to two runs again.
The Student Princes played home run ball in the top of the ninth when Tony Pawlowicz powered a pitch out of the ball park to left to open the inning. The Little Giants drew to within two runs when King opened the bottom of the ninth with a walk, reaching second on a single by Sides. Dodaro moved King to third on a fielder's choice, leading to a run when Ramos singled in the next at bat. With the tying run at first base, Wabash would only get a two-out pop up in short right field to end the threat and the game.
Ramos went 3-for-5 in the contest with an RBI. Nowak, Bogan, Sides, and Hamilton each added two hits.
Wabash (9-9) will hit the road this week, playing a doubleheader at Franklin College Tuesday afternoon before opening North Coast Athletic Conference action next weekend at Earlham College.