ADRIAN, Mich. – Siena Heights baseball hosted UM-Dearborn in a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference doubleheader on Sunday, April 10. The Saints picked up two wins which boosted their record to 14-20 overall and 4-6 in the WHAC. Game one ended with SHU bringing in last-minute runs in the bottom of the seventh to claim the victory. Game two was dominated by Siena as they shut out the Wolverines 10-0.
Game 1 SHU 3, UM-Dearborn 2 – 7 innings
Leading game one for the home team was Haydn Smith, with two hits in four plate appearances. Adam Wilding (1-for-4) and Cole VanWasshenova (1-for-4) recorded a hit and scored in the winning effort. Both Kenny Layman (1-for-3) and Chris Winkelman each tallied an RBI. Pitcher Chase Molnar started for SHU, pitching five innings and facing 22 batters to strike out two and allow one earned run. Matthew Love (W, 1-0) clinched a victory for the Saints, pitching one inning to hold back the visiting Wolverines.
Siena Heights was first to reach home thanks to the skillful eyes of Hammer, Layman, and Winkleman, who all reached base on walks. Then, Winkelman's walk brought VanWasshenvoa home, who reached base on a double to left-center. However, the game would come to a standstill with SHU leading 1-0 as tough defense from both sides refused to give up any runs through the next four innings.
UM-Dearborn would cross home plate in the top of the sixth, scoring once to tie the game. The top of the seventh would see one more run from the visiting team as they took the lead, 2-1.
Wilding singled to right-center to reach base to lead off the bottom of the seventh with a baserunner for the Saints. Hammer would follow on walks putting two runners on base. Layman hit an RBI single to left field, bringing in Wilding to tie the game. The game ended with a walk-off run after a wild pitch allowed Hammer to cross home plate.
Game 2 SHU 10, UM-Dearborn 0 – 8 innings
Layman paved the way for SHU, batting 3-for-5 while bringing in two runners and scoring three times himself. Parker Mabe reached base three times on walks and scored twice. VanWasshenova went 2-for-3 from the batter's box to collect one RBI and one run. Smith (1-for-4) put one run on the board and tallied three RBIs. Wilding ran home once and picked up one RBI during game two. Hammer went 2-for-4 while scoring once and bringing in one run. Winkelman collected one RBI, and Love ran home once, as did Collin Bammer. Pitcher Zach Bloom saw seven shutout innings while facing 31 batters and striking out three.
The bottom of the first inning saw four runs from Siena Heights. Hammer got things started with an RBI double down the right-field line that scored VanWasshenvoa. Layman followed suit with an RBI double to right-center, scoring Hammer and Wilding to extend the lead to 3-0.
A scouring drought held the score stagnate until the bottom of the fourth when SHU would bring in another four runs. Three of which came on a single from Smith, who allowed two runners to go home before a defensive throwing error scored Bammer, giving Smith three RBIs. VanWasshenvoa would bring Smith home on a single up the middle to make the score 8-0 going into the fifth.
A strong showing from the Saints' defense held the Wolverines scoreless throughout the competition as the SHU offense drove home two more runs making the score 10-0 in the bottom of the eighth, ending the game.
UP NEXT
SHU prepares for action on Monday, April 11, at home versus the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils at 1:00 and 3:30 PM.
