Wabash used the long ball to cruise to an 8-2 win in game one at Franklin College Tuesday afternoon, but could only muster six hits and two runs in a 3-2 loss in the second game against the Grizzlies.
Sophomore Shaun Rico broke the first game open with a three-run homer in the third inning, giving the Little Giants a 6-0 lead. Senior Jared Bogan added his fifth homer of the season in the fifth, going 3-for-4 for the day with two RBIs and three runs scored.
The Little Giants picked up two runs in the second inning when Matt Dodaro lifted a fly ball to center field, scoring Bogan from third after a sacrifice bunt by Rico. Chris Sides added the second run of the inning, scoring from second when the Grizzlies’ third baseman threw a ground ball away to allow Phil Ramos to reach second.
Senior Travis Moore held the Franklin bats in check, earning his second complete game victory of the season. He struck out five while scattering four hits and three walks and allowing only one earned run.
Franklin scored first in game two, but Wabash answered when Bogan led off the second inning with a double to center, scoring on a wild pitch and an errant throw by Grizzlies’ catcher Brandon Platt. The Grizzlies responded with another run in the bottom of the third before Wabash tied the score again. Bogan singled to open the fourth inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch, eventually scoring on a Dodaro single.
The Grizzlies scrapped for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth, shutting out the Little Giants over the remainder of the game. Wabash had a chance to tie the contest in the seventh with two runners on and only one out in the inning, but a strikeout and a groundout to the final two batters ended the Little Giants’ chances.
Freshman Joey Niezer took the loss despite allowing only five hits and striking out six batters.
Bogan finished the second game 2-for-4 from the plate with two runs scored. Mike Nowak was 2-for-3, while Dodaro and Ramos each had one hit.
Wabash (10-10) begins North Coast Athletic Conference play this weekend with a four-game series against the Earlham College Quakers. First pitch for the four-game road series begins Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. with two games slated for Sunday afternoon.