The Shawnee State Bears (12-15, 1-5) swept a double-header against the visiting Falcons of Notre Dame (6-11). The Bears showcased good pitching in the first game winning 5-2 and then showed what offensive explosiveness they have in a talented lineup winning 15-10 in the second game.
Shawnee State was able to take the first game with strong pitching as they used four different pitchers throughout the game. Cater Bledsoe (Tulsa, OK) started the game for the Bears and pitched 1.1 innings giving up no runs on no hits.
Jordan Williams (Uniontown, OH) who got his first win on the season pitched 1.2 innings giving up three hits and one run. Cody Spires (Lancaster, OH) and Adam Wamsley (Wheelersburg, OH) closed out the game giving up four hits and only one run as Wamsley got the save.
Shawnee State was able to help out the strong pitching by jumping on the Falcons early putting up two runs in the bottom of the first. Colin Keim (Clinton, OH), who went 2-for-3 with two RBI's, singled up the middle driving in Justin Marrero (Reynoldsburg, OH) for the game's first run.
Wamsley, who also finished the game going 2-for-3 with two RBI's, tripled down the right field line scoring Keim. The inning quickly gave the Bears a 2-0 lead as Shawnee State never would give the lead back.
After Notre Dame scored in the top of the third inning, Shawnee State again was able score in the bottom half of the inning to keep a lead of two runs. Danny Gesick (Pickerington, OH) singled driving in Marrero after he advanced on a wild pitch. The Bears lead 3-1 after the third.
Up 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Shawnee State scored two runs on two hits in the inning to give them their largest lead at 5-2. After Keim singled to right center and Gesick scored, it was Wamsley again with his second triple of the game. Wamsley hit the ball off the brick wall and raced around to third base as Burnett scored.
For the game the Bears finished with nine hits for five runs. Keim went 2-for-3 with two RBI's. Matt Jones (Greenup, KY) went 2-for-3 and Wamsley also went 2-for-3 with two RBI's and had two triples in the game.
The Falcons were unable to recover from the inning as the Bears took the first game in a double-header between the two teams.
In the second game it was Notre Dame that jumped on Shawnee State first that turned out to be a slugfest.
The Falcons were able to score one run in the top of the first inning. Brandon Boyd (Flatwoods, KY) who started on the hill for the Bears tried to pick off the runner on first.
Boyd over threw Gesick at first and the runner advanced to third. A few pitches later Boyd threw the ball in the dirt as it got past Tyler Weisel (Louisville, OH) for the games first run.
Shawnee State kept their composure and answered quickly in the bottom half of the inning. Marrero singled down the left field line and stole second base to give the Bears their first base runner of the game. Keim was at it again as he singled to center field for an RBI as Marrero scored tying the game at 1-1.
Shawnee State was far from done, in the bottom of the second; the Bears scored three runs as they exploded for five hits in the inning. The inning was highlighted by Gesick's double to right center scoring Quentin Everman (Galloway, OH) and Spires to give the Bears a 4-1 lead.
The Falcons were able to score another run to cut the lead in half at 4-2 in the top of the third inning.
Shawnee State scored in the games first four innings extending their lead to 7-2 by the end of the fourth inning and looked to be in control of the game and looked to be on its way of a double-header sweep.
Notre Dame had other ideas; down 7-2 the Falcons came alive in the top of the fifth. Boyd who pitched 4.2 innings giving up three hits and four runs with three strikeouts, his day ended as Chance Therrien (Washington Court House, OH) came in relief.
The Falcons took advantage of the hard throwing Therrien and was able to tie the ballgame at 7 apiece after Notre Dame's Brad Morrison hit a three-run homerun over the left field fence.
The Bears stayed hot and continued their streak of innings of scoring at least one run as they caught fire for four runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth to answer a five run fifth from Notre Dame.
The inning was highlighted by a two-run homerun over the center field wall. Marrero, Gesick, and Jones all had RBI's in the inning as in the fifth inning the two teams combined for nine runs and eight hits. After the fifth, Shawnee State led the Falcons 11-7.
After Notre Dame scored another here runs on five hits to pull within 11-10 in the sixth inning, Shawnee State answered with another four run sixth. Gesick again homered making it his second of the ballgame in what was an impressive offensive showing.
In the game Shawnee State scored 15 runs on an impressive 19 hits and scored in every inning. Marrero finished 4-for-5 with two RBI's, Gesick finished going 4-for-5 with six RBI's and two homeruns and was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Wamsley went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Jones finished 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Shawnee State will look to carry the momentum into conference play as they travel to Wise, VA tomorrow to take on West Virginia Wise in a three-game series over the next two days.
