Wabash gave up four runs in the third inning to the Tigers before answering the top half of the fourth inning with three runs of its own. Freshman Jared Bogan (Struthers, OH/Struthers) opened the inning with a hit batsman, followed by a Danny Schubert (Lebanon, IL/Lebanon) single. Junior Mike Mack (Butler, IN/Eastside) singled home the first run of the game for Wabash, moving Schubert to third base with no outs. Mack moved up to second just before junior Dan Matusik (Highland, IN/Highland) grounded out to short, cutting the Wittenberg lead in half as Schubert crossed the plate. Mack scored one batter later on a Jared Martin (Rosedale, IN/Riverton Parke) ground ball to cut the lead to one run.
The Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to take a two-run lead. Neither team would threaten again until the top of the seventh.
Wabash opened its half of the seventh with two ground outs, forcing the Little Giants to try and tie the score with only one out left in the game. That’s just what they did as sophomore Bill Goff (Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg) laced a single, followed by Bogan double to put runners at second and third with two down. Schubert tied the game one batter later with a two-run single past third.
It was once again up to Mack, who answered the challenge with a game-winning RBI double to center field to put Wabash in front by one. Senior Marc Rowe (Lafayette, IN/Jefferson), who came on in the fourth inning in relief of sophomore starter Jon Horne (Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) finished the seventh to earn his first win of the season. Rowe went 3-2/3 innings, scattering three hits while striking out four. Horne had four strikeouts in 3-1/3 innings of work.
Wabash had to come from behind in the second game, but in a less dramatic fashion. The Little Giants put six runs on the scoreboard in the second inning, only to see Wittenberg respond with nine runs in its own half of the second. The Little Giants plastered another seven runs on the scoreboard in the top of the third to take a 13-9 lead, holding on for the 13-11 victory to secure the doubleheader sweep. Freshman first baseman Chris Sides (Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg) was a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Goff added three RBIs on three hits, including a two-run double in the second. Bogan added an RBI double in the second inning, as well. Judd Crowgey (Salem, OH/Salem) went 3-1/3 innings of relief work to earn his second win of the season. Freshman John Thiry (Grand Rapids, MI/Grand Rapids Christian) picked up his first career save by finishing off the last two batters of the game.
Wabash moves to 12-7 with the victories, 2-0 in the NCAC Western Division. The Little Giants entered the weekend with a 1-8 record against Wittenberg since joining the NCAC in 1999.
Wabash will complete the season series against the Tigers on Sunday afternoon with another doubleheader. First pitch on Sunday is set for noon.