Shawnee State fell to Lindsey Wilson College in both games of a double-header on Friday. The series marked the end of the regular season, and the last games the Bears would play at Branch Rickey Park this season.
SSU struggled to find consistency in the first game of the twinbill, with Lindsey Wilson claiming the victory with a 14-4 final.
Cody Strayer (JR/Worthington, Ohio) took the mound to start for Shawnee, and had trouble finding the strike zone. He pitched three innings, allowing eight runs and hitting 3 different players. LWC's Chris Erker was credited with the win, pitching 5.1 innings with 10 strikeouts and allowing just two runs.
Lindsey Wilson took an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning. However, it wasn't until the third inning that they obtained a devastating six runs. Their success was due to a combination of poor pitching, passed balls that escaped from the catcher and a strong hitting performance from the Blue Raiders.
The Bears would try to bounce back, scoring in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to avoid the mercy rule. Mitchell Lendenski (JR/Loveland, Ohio) sent a shot to the wall in the seventh, driving in teammates Alex Shears (SO/Lucasville, Ohio) and Andrew Vanthournout (FR/Bowling Green, Ky.) as Lendenski took second. However, Lindsey Wilson scored a final run in the eighth to extend their lead to ten, ending the game after eight.
The second game was a much closer contest, as SSU fell to LW 2-0. Both starting pitchers had strong performances in the contest, but it was the Blue Raiders' Scott Sebald that got the win after six scoreless innings and seven strikeouts. Mike Watson (FR/Niles, Ohio) was credited with the loss, despite allowing just two runs in seven innings' work.
Lindsey Wilson scored in the first inning after Victor Nazario batted in Edgar Lebron on a single. The game would remain scoreless until LWC scored again in the sixth, and would hold the two-run lead until the end of the contest.
The Bears managed to get on base throughout the game, but never found a way to drive in their teammates. They managed to get a man on base in five different innings, but left men stranded each time. Adam Turner (FR/Lansing, Mich.) managed to get two hits in the contest, including a double that barely stayed in the park, but never crossed home plate.
Shawnee State returns to action next weekend at the Mid-South Conference tournament. Seeding and schedules will be released at the end of the weekend.
