The IUS baseball team earned their first home victory by defeating Trevecca Nazarene University, 15-6, on April 6.
The nine-run victory would seem to indicate the Grenadiers were in control throughout, but this was hardly the case.
It was the Trojans who took control of the game early on and led 5-0 after six innings. On the reverse side, the Grenadiers couldn’t buy a hit off Trojan starter Caleb Longshore, senior pitcher.
Longshore was unhittable for most of the game. He struck out the side in the second inning and acquired seven strikeouts through three innings.
Grenadier hitters had trouble with Longshore’s fastball and barely made contact with any of his pitches.
“We definitely came out flat,” Jacob Harrison, freshman pitcher, said. “Their pitcher was dominating.”
Longshore had 13 strikeouts through six innings, and it seemed as though the Trojans were headed for victory.
The Grenadiers had three innings left to make a move on the Trojans, and that’s exactly what they did.
The Grenadiers busted the game open in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Zach Maupin, sophomore outfielder, started the scoring for the Grenadiers in the seventh inning when he reached on an infield hit and later scored on a fielder’s choice.
Craig Roberts, sophomore infielder, doubled home two more runs. A bases-loaded walk tied the game at six before Tyler Woolums, freshman catcher, untied the game with a single that scored two more runs.
The Grenadiers didn’t look back. The Trojans were bleeding heavily, and there wasn’t a Band-Aid in sight.
The Grenadiers would score 10 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take an 11-6 lead heading into the eighth inning.
The Grenadiers would add four additional runs in the eighth to complete their come-from-behind victory.
“We were able to put a few hits together, and the momentum quickly shifted in our direction,” Harrison said. “Their pitcher ran out of gas, and they didn’t have a deep bullpen.”
The Grenadiers were happy to get a victory and continue their hot streak.
“Trevecca is a ranked opponent, so we knew they were going to be tough,” Josh Burkett, sophomore pitcher, said. “We just wanted to keep our winning streak alive.”
Stewart Dill, senior pitcher, got the win. It was the fourth win in a row for the Grenadiers.
By GARRETT TAYLOR
Staff
gartaylo@imail.iu.edu
