The Wabash baseball team’s first conference test of the season was a difficult one, as the Little Giants traveled to Ohio Wesleyan last weekend, home of last year’s NCAC champion. But it was a test Wabash would pass, as the Little Giants won the series 3-1, their first series win over the Battling Bishops since joining the NCAC in 2000.
The frigid weather of Delaware, Ohio could not cool down Wabash’s bats. The Little Giants earned seven hits in a 5- 1 win in the first game Saturday, led by home runs from junior outfielder Jake Thomas and junior shortstop Matt Dodaro. Six of the nine Little Giants in the lineup had at least one hit. On the defensive side, junior Mike Korfagen pitched a gem, earning nine strike outs and allowing just one run on five hits in a complete game. Ohio Wesleyan’s one run came from a Logan Hronis homer in the third.
Senior infielder Shaun Rico was the star of Saturday’s second game, with a three-run homer in the top of the seventh that propelled the Little Giants to a 3-2 win.
Defensively, Wabash got their second complete-game performance in as many days, as junior Andy Weeks earned five strikeouts and gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings of work.
Wabash’s bats only got hotter as the series moved into Sunday, as the Little Giants earned 11 hits on their way to a 9-6 win. Dodaro and Rico each got their third and fourth home runs of the year, respectively. Junior pitcher Joey Niezer earned the win with four strikeouts and five earned runs in 4.1 innings of work. Sophomore Keegan Leckrone got his first save of the season while giving up zero hits in the last 2.2 innings.
The Little Giants’ only loss in the series came in Sunday’s second game, 11-5. Dodaro had two hits and Rico hit his third home run of the weekend in the losing effort. His performance in the series earned him NCAC player of the week honors. The series brings Wabash’s record to 10-7 as they head into this weekend’s series against Case Western Reserve. But more important than the improvement of their record was the confidence a big series will give the team.
“This definitely gives us momentum and confidence,” Thomas said. “None of us have really done this. Last year, we lost our first few conference games, and we knew we were out of it from the start. This definitely got us excited and motivated.”
Head Coach Cory Stevens was impressed with his team’s perseverance over the weekend. “We knew it was going to be a battle,” Stevens said. “OWU was the conference champion last year and one game away from the National Championship. They beat a Division I team earlier this year. And our guys not only battled them, but also adversity. They battled delays, snow, everything.” Stevens also said he was impressed with his team’s pitching and timely hitting.
Stevens was, however, somewhat disappointed in the way the weekend ended. “I think we had an opportunity to take all four games,” Stevens said. “In the North Coast, when you have the chance to take all four, you have to take it. We need to be better at finishing the job. We always stress to the guys that we never want to be satisfied.” The games against Case Western start Saturday at noon.