DETROIT -- The Wayne State University baseball team (22-14 overall, 14-10 GLIAC) played spoiler and finished the regular season in style on Sunday at Harwell Field. The Warriors hit three home runs to win 11-6 over Northwood (27-13 overall, 18-10 GLIAC) and prevented the Timberwolves from celebrating a GLIAC title on their home turf.
The four-member senior class of Dillon McInerney (Richmond, Mich.), Jack Schmidt (Fishers, Ind. / Indianapolis Cathedral), Brendan Bilkovic (West Bloomfield, Mich.) and Dustin Renfroe (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Brother Rice / U of D Jesuit) were honored prior to first pitch.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first, WSU scored four runs on three hits in the bottom of the frame. The first run of the day scored on a balk before junior Rudy Ramirez (Brighton, Mich.) blasted a long, majestic two-run home run over the wall in left field. Graduate student Michael MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich. / Country Day / The Lawrenceville School) made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot to right center, giving the Green & Gold a 4-0 lead.
Cole Brooks continued to tear the cover off of the baseball and his three-run double in the top of third inning trimmed the home advantage to 4-3.
Wayne State was quick to answer and put up three runs on three hits and an NU error in the bottom of the third inning. Ramirez and MacLean had back-to-back RBI singles before a passed ball plus a throwing error allowed another run to score and put WSU on top 7-3.
After a sacrifice fly from senior Jacob Finkbeiner (Saline, Mich.) in the bottom of the fourth inning, redshirt junior Hunter DeLanoy (Hartland, Mich.) connected for a two-run home run to right field, extending the home lead to 10-3. NU got a run back on a fielder's choice RBI in the top of the fifth inning.
Senior Ryne Travis (Lockport, Ill. / Lockport Twp.) sent an RBI single through the left side to give WSU an 11-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Brooks drove in two runs in the top of the ninth inning to make the final score 11-6.
AT THE PLATE
DeLanoy finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored. MacLean went 3-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Ramirez had two hits and three RBI.
ON THE MOUND
Junior Chad Sommers (Jonesville, Mich.) (3-3) started and allowed four runs in five and 2/3 innings on four hits and four walks, while striking out two batters. Bilkovic earned his second save of the season by working three and a 1/3 innings of relief and allowing two runs with two Ks.
UP NEXT
Fifth-seeded Wayne State will play second seed Grand Valley State on Thursday at 10:00 AM in Lansing, Mich. at Cooley Law School Stadium.
