February 15, 2013

For Immediate Release

Athens, Tenn. – The Indiana Tech baseball team opened their 2013 season at No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan College on Friday, dropping both games of the double header to the defending national champions at Jack Bowling Field.

In the first game of the twinbill, the Warriors took a one run lead into the bottom of the seventh, but the Bulldogs plated two runs to walk off with a 7-6 victory. Then in the nightcap, Tennessee Wesleyan slowed down the Tech bats winning 4-1.

The Tech offense exploded early in game one as Ray Calloway tripled to drive in Alex McKinstry, and Justin Kalusa followed with a double to bring him around, putting the Warriors on top 2-0 in the first inning.

Tennessee Wesleyan answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning though and took the lead with a run in the second.

Eric Wald put the Warriors back in front 4-3 in the third with a two-run blast, but the Bulldogs would respond once again in the home half to tie the game.

With the score tied 5-5 in the seventh, Bryan Brudi delivered a clutch triple to bring in Kalusa for the go-ahead run. However, the resilient Bulldogs would not go away crossing the plate twice in the bottom half of the frame for the walk off win.

Four Warriors finished the game with two hits. Calloway and Wald collected two RBI while McKinstry scored twice. Aaron Lewellyn went 5.0 innings giving up five runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts. Cam Wilson was hit with the loss after throwing 1.2 innings, surrendering two runs on four hits while fanning two.

In the second game of the afternoon, Tech would strike first again, capitalizing on a Bulldog miscue in the second inning. Ignatius Mackenzie reached on an error and later came around to score on a base hit by Jake Owens.

That would be the Warriors only run of the day though as TWC pitcher Tyler Wilson settled in and only gave up two more hits the rest of the way.

Tech’s Kyle Nolen was equally as good, limiting the NAIA’s best offense of a season ago to only one hit and one run through the first four innings.

Tennessee Wesleyan was finally able to break through in the fifth, pushing two runs across to take a 3-1 lead. The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the sixth and shut the door on the Warriors in the seventh.

After picking up 10 hits in the opener, the bats cooled off as Tech was held to just five hits. Owens led the way going 2-for-3 at the plate. Nolen surrendered two earned runs in 5.1 innings and took the loss. Curtis Wise tossed 0.2 innings of relief.

The Warriors are right back in action tomorrow against Tennessee Wesleyan. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

For more information on Indiana Tech athletics please call the Athletic Office at 260-422-5561 ext. 2492 or visit our website at http://www.indianatech.edu/athletics

- Go Warrior Pride -