No. 5 Baseball Sweeps Series Against IU Kokomo

ATHENS, Tenn.- After picking up two wins on Thursday, the fifth-ranked baseball team closed out the four-game series against the Indiana University Kokomo Cougars with two more wins. The team won the first game 7-0 and won the second game 4-2.

Game One:

As Justin Jackson was pitching a no-hitter through six innings, the Bulldogs offense started getting going in the fourth inning. Allan Gil Fernandez started a scoring rally of seven straight runs, using an error to get on first, stealing second to move into scoring position. A double to center field moved Fernandez to third and left Kolton Reynolds standing on second. Josh Shelly cleared the bases with a triple and scored on a ground out by David Ballenilla to move the team ahead 3-0 after the fourth.

Ethan Wright scored for TWU in the fifth inning. Standing on second after a double, Wright scored on a Fernandez triple, moving the team ahead by four runs. The team scored another run in the sixth inning, this time a solo home run by Shelly. 

The seventh inning saw Shelly hit his second triple of the game, bringing Reynolds, who got on base with a double the previous at-bat. Shelly scored for the third time in the game, giving the team their seventh run when he scored on the throw of an attempt to catch Ballenilla stealing second. 

Shelly finished the game with four RBIs while Ballenilla and Fernandez each had an RBI. Jackson had eight strikeouts on the mound while Baylor Homesly had three strikeouts in 2.1 innings of relief.

Game Two:

TWU found themselves trailing as the offense came to the plate in the first inning. In the third inning, the Bulldogs tied the game.

Rob Gordon earned a walk to get on first and stole second to move into scoring position. Fernandez hit a double to left field to help Tennessee Wesleyan get on the board as Gordon scored. A wild pitch moved Fernandez closer to home at third, and a single by Reynolds gave Fernandez the chance to trot home, tying the game 2-2. 

In the sixth inning, the Bulldogs pulled ahead. After a fielder's choice, Shelly moved to third on Wright's double. A wild pitch moved each baserunner forward, bringing Shelly across home plate to break the tie. Wright became an insurance run for the team, scoring on Bryant O'Neill's single to push the team ahead 4-2, the score they went on to win with.

Fernandez, Reynolds, and O'Neill each had an RBI in the win. Isaiah Williams had nine strikeouts in five innings of work. Jalen Fulwood was credited with the win.

Up next for the Bulldogs (4-0) are games against Blue Mountain Christian University (1:00 p.m.) and Georgetown College (4:00 p.m.) on Friday at Athens Insurance Stadium.