Wilson, NC – Southern Wesleyan split the final two games of the series against Barton on Saturday afternoon. After dropping game one in a 13-3 final score, the Warriors claimed game two in a 16-14 final score.
The Warriors picked up five hits in the first game of the afternoon. Both Ethan Shimmel and Cole Kirschner hit solo home runs. Southern Wesleyan walked four times and Nolan Evatt had the lone stolen base. Lukas Arvantides started the game on the mound and pitched two innings while striking out one batter. Logan Brazell, Will Koehler, Jacob Webb and Mason Clark all came in to pitch in relief. Brazell, Webb and Clark each had one strikeout in the game.
Southern Wesleyan had 12 hits in the final game of the series. Of the 16 RBIs in the game, Cole Kirschner had seven and Nolan Evatt had five. Kirschner homered twice in the game, and Evatt and Ethan Shimmel each had one home run in the game. Shimmel and Perry Dyer doubled. The Warriors walked four times and both Tristan Tillman and Matthew McCaffrey stole solo bases. Coleman Wylie started the final game of the series on the mound and struck out four batters in the four innings he pitched. Five Warriors came in to pitch in relief. Both Ash Faulk and Matthew White struck out two batters.
Game Vitals
Game One Final: Barton 13, Southern Wesleyan 3
Game Two Final: Southern Wesleyan 16, Barton 14
Records: Southern Wesleyan (15-31 / CC 9-21) Barton (10-29 / CC 7-23)
How It Happened
Game One
Barton was first on the board in the first game of the doubleheader as a sacrifice fly and a double allowed three runs to come in to score for the Bulldogs.
The Warriors countered in the top of the second inning. Cole Kirschner led off the inning by reaching on a walk. Kirschner advanced to second as Perry Dyer hit a single into right field. Kade Bowling was then hit by a pitch to load up the bases for Ethan Jarvis. Jarvis ground into a double play that took Bowling off the bases, but brought Kirschner in to score.
Southern Wesleyan tied the game up in the third inning as Ethan Shimmel and Cole Kirschner sent the ball over the left field fence for back-to-back solo home runs.
However, the Bulldogs would not relent as they scored again in the third, fourth and fifth innings to win the game in a 13-3 final score.
Game Two
Southern Wesleyan struck first in the second game of the double header as Ethan Shimmel sent the ball out over the center field fence for a solo blast.
The Warriors extended on their lead in the second inning. Kade Bowling opened up the inning for the Warriors by hitting a single to right field. Bowling advanced to third base as Perry Dyer hit a double into center field. With one out, Seth Pettett hit a sacrifice fly out to center field to allow Bowling to come in to score.
Southern Wesleyan extended on their lead in the third inning. Nolan Evatt led off the inning by reaching on a walk. Tristan Tillman laid down a sacrifice bunt, but an error on the play allowed him to reach first safely. A wild pitch allowed Evatt to advanced to third. Ethan Shimmel then walked to load up the bases for Cole Kirschner. Kirschner drilled the ball over the left field fence for a grand slam that put the Warriors ahead 6-0.
In the fourth inning, the Warriors brought another run in to score. With one out, Matthew McCaffrey was hit by a pitch. McCaffrey then stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Nolan Evatt hit a sacrifice fly to the short stop to allow McCaffrey to come in to score.
Barton answered in the bottom of the fifth inning as they brought five runs in to score to cut Southern Wesleyan's lead down to 7-5.
The Bulldogs continued their attacks in the sixth inning as a grand slam by Cameron Greenway and a couple errors by the Warriors allowed them to bring six runs in to score and give them an 11-7 run lead over Southern Wesleyan.
Southern Wesleyan was not done though as they plated nine runs in the top of the seventh inning. A fielding error at shortstop allowed Tristan Tillman to reach first to lead off the inning. Ethan Shimmel was hit by a pitch to put two runners on and bring Cole Kirschner up to the plate. Kirschner sent the ball over the left field fence for his second home run of the game. Kade Bowling then hit a single into center field and advanced to second as Perry Dyer hit a single into left field to force the Bulldogs to go to the bullpen. Luke Taylor laid down a bunt single to load up the bases for Josh Long. Long hit a single into left field to allow both Bowling and Dyer to come in to score. Matthew McCaffrey sent the ball into left field for a single that loaded the bases up once again. Nolan Evatt came up to the plate and sent the ball over the right field fence for a grand slam to put the Warriors on top 16-11.
Barton went on to score runs in the seventh and ninth inning. However, the Warriors held on to claim a 16-14 run victory over the Bulldogs.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will return to Central, SC on April 21 as they host the Anderson Trojans. They will then host the Shorter Hawks on April 24-25 in their final home game of the regular season.
