Senior closer
Braden Cannon posted saves in both games of a Northern Sun Conference baseball sweep for Wayne State over the University of Jamestown Friday afternoon in 4-2 and 6-5 victories. The Wildcats are now 28-21 on the season and 20-16 in the NSIC while the visiting Jimmies drop to 13-35 and 8-27 in league play.
Despite being out-hit in the opener 11-6, Wayne State used two run innings in the fourth and sixth to down Jamestown 4-2.
The University of Jamestown opened the scoring with a run in the first. The score remained 1-0 until the fourth when the 'Cats scored two runs on three hits to take a 2-1 advantage.
Max Heard's single up the middle brought home
Cam Madsen (single) with the first run while
Paul Schuyler's sacrifice bunt later in the inning scored
Nate Cunningham (singled).
WSC added two insurance runs in the sixth for a 4-1 cushion as Schuyler's sacrifice fly to center field drove home pinch-runner
Brayden Chaney with the first run. Designated hitter
Korey Cozad's double to right center brought home Cunningham, who singled up the middle.
The Jimmies scored one run on two hits in the seventh to make the final score 4-2 as Cannon came on with two outs and runners at first and third and got the final out on a caught stealing to end the contest.
Cunningham was 2 for 3 with two runs scored to lead Wayne State's offense. Kozad had the lone extra base hit, a double, while Madsen and Cannon each singled.
Starting pitcher
Kyler Hanson (3-2) worked five innings to get the win, allowing an unearned run on eight hits with six strikeouts. Matthias Tronsdon and
Jace Coleman each saw action from the bullpen with Cannon coming in for the final out recording his eighth save of the year.
The second game was a pitcher's battle until a wild eighth inning that saw Jamestown rally to take the lead with the Wildcats regaining the lead in the bottom of the frame to hang on for a 6-5 win. WSC overcame four errors in the contest to complete the sweep and keep the Wildcats in sixth place in the NSIC standings.
The Jimmies scored first in the top of the third for a 1-0 lead. WSC countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning for a 2-1 lead as
Casey Prychak opened the inning with a double and scored on Madsen's single to right center field. The second run scored on an attempted double steal with
Easton Mains scoring the second run as Madsen was thrown out trying to steal second.
Wayne State took a 3-1 lead in the fifth when Mains walked and scored on a groundout by Monosmith.
The University of Jamestown made the most of two Wildcat errors in the eighth and added two hits to score four runs and grab a 5-3 lead.
But Wayne State surged back in the bottom of the eighth and countered with three runs on two hits to go with two walks and regain the lead at 6-5. Cunningham walked and scored on Schuyler's double to left that also drove home pinch-runner Chaney (Monosmith walk) to tie the score at 5-5. Cozad's RBI single to left drove home Schuyler with the go-ahead run.
Cannon was brought in for the ninth inning and got three flyouts to end the contest as the 'Cats rallied for the sweep.
Cozad was 2 for 4 with an RBI while Prychak and Schuyler each doubled.
Starting pitcher
Braden Sweet worked the first six innings, giving up just four hits and an unearned run with six strikeouts. Reliever
Conlin Grady (6-1) picked up the win with one inning of work, allowing one hit with one walk. Cannon retired all three batters in the ninth for his ninth save of the year and 36
th in his Wildcat career.
The Wildcats and Jimmies close out their three-game NSIC series Saturday with a nine-inning game starting at 12 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.
