Two Walk-Offs Help Secure Doubleheader Sweep of Benedictine on Thursday

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – After taking the series from Missouri Valley last weekend, the Baker baseball team picked up right where they left off on Thursday, walking off on Benedictine in both games to sweep the doubleheader by scores of 13-9 and 8-7.

Game One (W, 13-9)

Both Evan Gottstein and Gabriel Lopez pitched three innings each in game one, while Hank Dobson pitched one full inning and came away with the win. Baker was able to overcome five errors in game one, outhitting the Ravens, 11-4 as Camden Karlin, Taylor Foss and Cooper Karlin each had multi-hit games. Foss had a huge game at the plate, going 3-for-4 with five RBI, while scoring two runs himself.

Baker fell behind early in game one as Benedictine held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second inning. After a John Raybourn walk, a Cooper Karlin hit by pitch and a catcher's interference to load the bases, Camden Karlin unloaded the bases with a two-out double to give Baker a 3-2 lead.

Benedictine then scored two in the top of the third to take a 4-3 lead, but a Jared Parenti solo home run to left field tie the game at four after just three innings. Benedictine had seemed to have broken the game open in the top of the fourth inning, scoring five runs to make it 9-4, but Baker had other plans.

Baker added a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth on a home run from Foss and a fielder's choice from Quinton Graham to cut the lead to 9-7. After a scoreless sixth, the Wildcats trailed by two with just three outs to work with.

Baker was able to get the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh without collecting an out. After a sac-fly from Brian Hawkins and a single to right field from John Raybourn, Baker had tied the game at nine, but they were not done there.

After an intentional walk to Jared Parenti, Taylor Foss demolished a pitch over the centerfield wall to hit a walk off grand slam and give the Wildcats a huge 13-9 win in game one.

Game Two (W, 8-7)

Jake Miller got the call in game two and after 1.1 innings, Logan Whelan entered the game, pitching the next 4.2 innings, allowing just three hits and no runs. Luke Smith entered the game in the seventh and after a walk off win received the win.

Offensively, Baker picked up eight hits in the game with seven of those eight hits coming from Quinton Graham, Taylor Foss and Peyton Lewis. Peyton Lewis led the way as he went 3-for-4 with two RBI including the game winning hit.

Once again, Baker fell behind early, but this time they found themselves in a 6-0 deficit through just 1.5 innings. With Baker trailing 6-0, Taylor Foss got Baker on the board with a single to left field, followed by a double to right-center from Peyton Lewis to cut the lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the third inning, Baker worked the bases loaded and for the second time on the day, the Wildcats hit a grand slam, this one from Jared Parenti to tie the game at six. After three scoreless innings, the Ravens regained the lead in the top of the seventh on a solo home run, giving Benedictine a 7-6 lead.

But just like game one, Baker had other plans. An error started things off and after a sac-bunt from Parenti, Foss showed up bit time again and doubled down the left field line to tie the game at seven with one out. Foss then advanced to third on a wild pitch and after Cooper Karlin was hit by a pitch and found his way to second, Peyton Lewis called game and singled to left-center to win the game for Baker, 8-7.

With the doubleheader sweep, Baker is now 20-14 on the season and 12-6 in Heart of America play. They will finish their four-game series with Benedictine on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m., at Sauder Field.

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