MIDWAY, Ky. - Hot-hitting Indiana Kokomo put Midway into big holes early in both games of a doubleheader, sweeping the Eagles by the finals of 9-4 and 14-9 to start the River States Conference Baseball Series of the Week Friday.
GAME ONE: IU KOKOMO 9, MIDWAY 4
Jacob Medvescek got things started with a two-run home run in the top of the first as the Cougars raced out to a 6-0 lead after three innings. Medvescek was one of three IUK players with two RBIs while Kasey Ross drove in three runs.
The Eagles didn't have a base runner until the fourth inning, where they got on the scoreboard when an RBI double by
Josh Halterman scored
Peyton Henry. That was the first of three doubles hit by Halterman, who twice drove in Henry.
Midway got within 7-4 in the eighth on a two-run
Barrett McGill home run. But IUK responded with two runs in the top of the ninth, highlighted by a Mason Janz home run.
In the loss,
Dalton Soergel had a strong game out of the bullpen, allowing just one run with three strikeouts in five innings of work.
GAME TWO: IU KOKOMO 14, MIDWAY 9
The Cougars would once again started the scoring with a two-run, first inning home run, this one by Gavin Smith, with his long ball starting a five-run first as Kokomo built a 9-0 lead and scored in six of seven at-bats.
That was the start of a monster game for Smith, who hit for the cycle in his first four at-bats.
The Eagle offense put together two big innings. The first came in the bottom of the third, getting four runs off of a solo home run by
Cole Ginter and a three-run homer by
Eli Glasscock.
Down 14-4 going into its final at-bat, Midway briefly put a scare into the Cougars, as RBI singles by Henry and Halterman were followed by a two-run double by
Isaac Tencza, making it a 14-8 game before an out was recorded.
With runners on second and third and one out,
Mahrlon Torres sent a rocket fly ball to left-centerfield. And while the play would produce a sacrifice fly, the Eagles were robbed of another un as Garrett Lupoi made a great lunging catch in front of the wall for the second out.
The next batter would be retired to clinch a Friday sweep and series win for IUK.
The Eagles fall to 14-16 overall with a 7-7 mark in the RSC, while the 11-20 Cougars improve to 6-7 in league play. The teams will conclude their series in Midway at noon Saturday.
