The late-season struggles of the Wabash baseball team continued Saturday afternoon with a pair of losses at home to North Coast Athletic Conference foe Denison. The Little Giants fell 6-4 in game one before a seven-run fourth inning led to a 10-2 loss in Saturday's final game.
The Little Giants pounded out 13 hits in the first game, including three from the bat of senior Justin VanderIest. The catcher will be honored in Sunday's home finale against the Big Red, along with fellow seniors Nick Rico, John Thiry, Travis Moore, Taylor Backs, Jared Bogan, Phil Ramos, and Chris Sides in their last home game at Mud Hollow Field.
Thiry took the loss in game one after giving up four hits that led to two runs in the opening inning. He settled down over the next six innings, scattering eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts. VanderIest tripled home a run in the sixth and scored on a ground out to cut the Big Red lead to one run. Denison added two in the seventh to hold on to the win.
A big fourth inning in game two for the Big Red erased a 1-0 lead by the Little Giants off the third home run of the season by Shaun Rico. Denison tallied seven runs on just four hits and a Wabash error in the fourth to hand Moore his fourth loss of the season. Wabash would pick up just seven hits, including two from Ramos, in the defeat.
The loss also means the Little Giants will not earn a spot in the NCAC Baseball Playoffs, falling to 6-8 in league play and 16-19 overall. Wabash plays its final game of the season at Mud Hollow Field Sunday afternoon beginning at noon.