A four-run first and a five-run seventh inning highlighted a 15-hit effort by the Wabash baseball team at Tri-State Friday afternoon. The Little Giants snapped their five-game losing streak with a 9-3 victory over Thunder heading into the final weekend of the season.
Wabash opened the contest with a double down the right field line by Jake Thomas. The Little Giants continued to hit, collecting a total of four consecutive hits. Matt Dodaro's two-run single gave Wabash a lead it would never relinquish. A Tri-State error and one more hit staked the Little Giants to a 4-0 lead.
Junior Joey Niezer started for the Little Giants, picking up his second win of the season. He threw five innings while picking up three strikeouts with three hits, three walks, and two earned runs and one unearned run.
The Little Giants threatened on two other occasions, putting runners on third with less than two outs, but were unable to score. Wabash broke through once again in the seventh while holding a 4-3 lead. Nathan Schrader began the seventh with a double down the left field line. After a PJ Tyson walk and stolen base, the Thunder walked Dodaro intentionally to face freshman Tanner Coggins.
The rookie made them pay by singling to left to plate Schrader and Tyson. Another single, this time by Shaun Rico, scored Dodaro. Dave Seibel added the third consecutive hit for Wabash to score Coggins. Joe Johnson picked up the fifth hit of the inning to bring home the fifth run of the inning.
Brian Van Duyn pitched three innings of relief with four strikeouts and one hit. Keegan Leckrone threw the final inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced to close out the game.
Coggins and Seibel each had three hits to pace the Wabash effort. Thomas, Tyson, and Schrader each added two hits.
The Little Giants (18-19) conclude the 2008 season with a doubleheader at Earlham Sunday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m.