Versailles, Ky. – After stepping out of conference play earlier in the week, the Midway University baseball team returned to the diamond on Friday night when they hosted Asbury (Ky.) for a doubleheader at Chandler Field.
In the first game, the Midway offense came alive late scoring five in the fourth, four in the fifth and six in the sixth en route to the 15-3 win. Then in the second game, the Eagles would have their chances, but they came up short leading to a 4-2 loss in eight innings.
Midway (20-16, 17-5 RSC) and Asbury (15-21, 7-11) will meet again on Saturday when they wrap up their four-game series with another twinbill starting at 2 p.m. ET at Chandler Field.
Game 1: Midway 15, Asbury 3
After neither team scoring in the first three innings, the Midway offense got going with five runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth. Matthew Olson (Louisville, Ky.) singled to open the inning and then Hector Quinones (Barceloneta, PR) stepped to the plate.
Quinones laid down a drag bunt and reached on a base hit, but he moved to third and Olson scored on a wild throw by the third baseman. Barrett Croslin (Russellville, Ky.) ripped an RBI single scoring Quinones, while Danny Maguire (Dana Point, Calif.) scored Croslin on a double.
After a strikeout, Koy Lindsey came up to bat. The sophomore from Sonora, Ky. smashed a 2-1 pitch and sent it over the left field fence for a two-run home run – his first career long ball.
Midway starter, Chase Heslep (Bellingham, Wash.) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but a one out single in the fifth led to an unearned run cutting Midway's lead to 5-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Midway added four more to their lead. Olson opened the inning with a double and after Quinones was intentionally walked, Carlos Cespedes (Santo Domingo, D.R.) ripped a double to score Olson and Cespedes.
After Maguire was hit by a pitch, Reid Battles (Denton, Texas) sent a two run single up the middle to score Cespedes and Maguire. After five complete, Midway held a 9-1 lead.
After Heslep allowed a two-run home run in the sixth, the Midway offense continued to add to their lead. Once again it was Olson who opened the inning with a double and then Quinones singled to put runners at the corners with no one out.
Croslin then reached on a walk, then Maguire picked up an RBI with a bases loaded walk to score Olson. Haden Fox (Somerset, Ky.) then cleared the bases with a three-run double in the right field corner. Both Fox and Lindsey would also score on a pair of wild pitches.
With a 15-3 lead at his back, Heslep got a 1-2-3 seventh inning to seal the victory. The junior right-hander pushed his record to 5-1 overall after a complete game allowing three runs – two earned – on three hits. He also finished with a season-high 11 strikeouts.
Game 2:
In the nightcap, Asbury jumped on Midway starter, James Davenport (Louisville, Ky.) in the early going with two runs in the second inning. After being held scoreless in the first two frames, the Eagles got it going in the bottom of the third.
Francisco Quinonez (Tampa, Fla.) got it started when he reached second after the left fielder dropped a fly ball. After a walk to Reid Battles, Josh Wenning (Palmyra, Ind.) reached on a fielder's choice as Battles was forced out at second.
Wenning then stole second and with two outs, Matthew Olson would come through with a double down the field line that would easily score Quinonez and Wenning.
With extra innings looming, Midway would have their chances to push across the winning run in the sixth and seventh innings.
In the sixth, Quinones opened the inning with a double and after Cespedes reached on an error and Maguire reached on an infield single to load the bases with one out. With the defense playing a double play depth, Asbury turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Then in the seventh, Battles ripped a one-out triple deep to the left-center field gap as the winning run was 90 feet away. After Wenning walked, Olson reached on a fielder's choice as Battles was tagged out. The third baseman tried to get Olson at first, but he threw it into right field as Wenning tried to score on the play, but he was gunned down at the plate.
Midway reliever, Derek Jones (Mt. Washington, Ky.) walked the bases loaded in the seventh, but he got out of it unscathed. In the eighth, it was a leadoff walk that would come back to haunt him as the visitors plated two unearned runs in the eighth to win 4-2.
Jones would be dealt with the loss allowing two unearned runs in one inning. Davenport took the no decision after allowing two runs on six hits in six innings. The junior also fanned eight. Jake McCoy (Mesa, Ariz.) entered with runners at first and second in the eighth and allowed one hit.
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