Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Winter Haven, Fla. – The Wayne State baseball team (6-5) squared off with the University of Charleston on Wednesday in double header action. The Warriors swept the double dip by scores of 7-1 and 3-2.
 
Game 1
 
As has been the theme all week, the Warriors got on the board early. Jeremy Carrell (St. Clair, Mich. / St. Clair) was hit by a pitch and then advanced to third on a single by Kasey Koster (Portage, Mich. / Central) which would start a two-out rally. Kyle Zimmerman (Frankfort, Mich. / Frankfort) would reach on an error that would score Carrell and in the next at bat Eric Cunningham (LaSalle, Ont. / St. Thomas of Villanova) singled to right center driving in Koster.
 
Greg Spiess (Saline, Mich. / Saline) took the mound for the Green and Gold and was handed a two run lead before he even threw a pitch. The University of Charleston tripled to center in the bottom of the first and then drove that runner in on a sacrifice fly to center making it a 2-1 ballgame after one inning of play.
 
Spiess got into some trouble in the second as Charleston had runners at first and third with no outs but the Warrior senior struck a batter out, got a line drive to right that held up the runner and third and then slammed the door with a fly ball to right ending the threat.
 
Senior Brad Guenther (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Saline) provided some fireworks in the top of the third with a solo homerun to right making it a 3-1 game after Speiss held the home team scoreless in the bottom of the inning.
 
WSU got back into the scoring column in the fifth when Koster singled to right scoring Justin Sherman (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) who earlier also singled to right. Speiss held down the Charleston lineup into the seventh as the Warriors led 4-1 heading to the final stanza.
 
In the top of the seventh WSU would blow this game wide open, Guenther drove a triple to right center that scored two and then Zimmerman walked with ball four being a wild pitch that would score Guenther. Speiss went the distance earning the complete game while only giving up one run.
 
Game 2
 
Freshman Brandyn Hall (Sylvania, Ohio / Northview) started game two for the Warriors and after a wild pitch sent the leadoff batter to third a RBI single to center put U of C up 1-0 early. The Warriors failed to score in the first this time and would need to come from behind.
 
A walk and double in the top of the second made this a 2-0 affair as WSU tried to figure out the Charleston pitcher.
 
The Green and Gold would finally get on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a Zimmerman single to center that would score Koster who singled in the previous at-bat and advanced to second on a misplayed ball in the outfield.
 
The game was knotted up at two after the Warriors tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth. Sherman walked and then was balked over to second. AJ Matos (Southgate, Mich. / Detroit Western) laid down a sacrifice bunt moving Sherman to third before another balk would score the Warriors centerfielder.
 
Coach Ryan Kelley moved another freshman Taylor Horn (Leo, Ind. / Leo) to the mound in relief of Hall and Horn was quick to dispose of the Charleston hitters striking out two before inducing a pop out to second. This game went to the final inning tied at two.
 
Both teams failed to muster any runs in either the seventh or eighth innings although the Warriors threatened twice.

In the bottom of the ninth the Warriors had a pair of runners on and a passed ball led to those runners advancing with just one out. Charleston elected to play for the double play and in attempting to intentionally walk Jeremy Carrell the ball got away from the pitcher allowing the winning run to score for WSU and the Warriors took game two 3-2.

Up next for the Green and Gold is Slippery Rock on Friday for a pair of games beginings at 1:30 pm.