A Tanner Coggins double in extra innings gave Wabash a 3-2 win over Robert Morris College - Springfield Saturday afternoon in the first baseball game of 2008 at Mud Hollow Field. The Little Giants got a two-run single from Bobby Ritz in the bottom of the sixth in game two --- the first hit of the game for Wabash --- to go on to a 4-2 victory for the Saturday afternoon sweep. (View photos from the Little Giants' victories.)
The Eagles scored first in both games. RMC put two runners on in the top of the sixth inning in game one, moving the runners up on a sacrifice before a wild pitch brought home a run. An RBI single one batter later by Coltin Cunningham gave the Eagles the 2-0 lead.
Wabash had managed just two hits in the first five innings before responding for two runs in its half of the sixth. PJ Tyson started the rally with a walk, moving to second on a single through the left side by Jake Thomas. A ground ball to third by Matt Dodaro forced an errant throw by the RMC third baseman, bringing both Tyson and Thomas home to tie the game at 2-2. A line shot by Nathan Schrader nearly broke the inning open, but Kyle Forshee gloved the line drive for the second out of the inning. A ground out ended the threat.
The Eagles put the leadoff runner on with a single in the top of the seventh, moving him up with a sacrifice bunt before a single to right by Jake Walsh appeared to break the tie. Thomas grabbed the ball in the outfield for Wabash and fired to Tyson at the plate. The throw was well ahead of the runner for the putout at home, leading to the end the RMC after a ground out to short on the next play.
Bobby Ritz ripped a triple to right field in the bottom of the eighth for Wabash. A flyball to center by Thomas wasn't deep enough to send Ritz home. RMC intentionally walked Dodaro to face Coggins, who launched a single to right field for the game-winnning RBI.
Patrick McCarley earned his first win of the season in relief, working a scoreless eighth inning for the Little Giants. Mike Korfhagen started the game, going 5-1/3 innings with two earned runs, four hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. Keegan Leckrone scattered two hits in an inning and two-thirds on the mound. He walked one and struck out one.
Ritz was the hero in the game two, breaking up Forshee's no-hitter in the sixth with a two-run single to center. Pinch-hitter David Seibel led off the inning with a walk before Schrader reached on a mishandled bunt. After Ritz tied the game with his hit, the sophomore came home with the game-winning run one batter later on a single by Thomas for the only other hit of the game for the Little Giants.
Andy Weeks went six innings in his first start of the season for the win. He allowed four hits and one earned run with a walk and six strikeouts. McCarley earned his first save of the year, finishing the seventh with two hits, a walk, and a strikeout while holding the Eagles scoreless in the inning.
Dodaro, Thomas, and Ritz each had two hits for the day, although Dodaro saw his nine-game hitting streak end in the nightcap against the Eagles.
Wabash (5-6) and Robert Morris-Springfield (0-8) will play two more games Sunday afternoon at Mud Hollow Field beginning at noon.