Wildcats Push Win Streak to Seven, Claim Heart Series of the Week over Ravens

BALDWIN CITY - In the midst of its great late-March run, Baker baseball ran its winning streak to eight games this weekend, securing the Heart Series of the Week with three straight wins over rival Benedictine before the Ravens salvaged the finale.

Closing out the last of a 10-game stay on Sauder Field, the Wildcats were fueled by four incredible performances from pitchers Camden Karlin, Tyler Vigna, Kole Starlin and Anthony Sillas to take the first three matchups, 3-0, 6-1, and 2-1. The Ravens, who came in scoring six or more runs in their last eight games, avoided the sweep with a 5-0 win in the series finale.

BU 3, BC 0
In the first game of the series, Karlin delivered an incredible 68-pitch shutout for his second straight win, tallying five strikeouts and holding the Ravens to just five hits. BC was only able to put a runner in scoring position twice and didn't have one advance past second base all game long.

TJ Armstrong launched his team-leading sixth homer of the spring with a solo shot in the bottom of the second to give Karlin and the Wildcats the only run they'd need. Carson Adams followed with an RBI groundout to make it a 2-0 lead.

BU tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double from Blake Prewitt, scoring Jon Jenkins, who reached on a one-out single before moving into scoring position on a wild pitch, to cap the 3-0 victory.

BU 6, BC 1
The Wildcats used a four-run opening frame to take control in Saturday's nightcap, while Vigna followed up Karlin's gem with a one-run outing for his first complete game of the year.

Vigna dialed up a season-best 10 strikeouts, and his only blemish came on a leadoff homer in the third from the Ravens, their lone run of the day.

Adams and Blake Reeder each drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, peppering back-to-back singles to opposite sides of the field to give BU a 4-0 lead right out of the gate.

After Benedictine broke up the shutout in the top half, the Wildcats responded with their final two runs of the afternoon in the bottom of the third. Tyson Kiser smacked an RBI knock to right field and Karlin followed suit on the next at-bat for his 20th RBI of the season.

BU 2, BC 1
BU's pitching dominance carried over to Sunday as Starlin (4.2 IP) and Sillas (2.1) combined to lock down a one-run victory in game three and mark the Wildcats' eighth straight win.

Starlin also earned a season-high tally in strikeouts, bagging seven across four-plus innings of work. After giving up an RBI double in the first, the left-hander allowed just one hit the rest of the way before turning over to Sillas in the fifth.

Tyson Wallace spoiled the Ravens' one-run lead with a two-run single in the third. Zach Miller led off the frame with a single and Jackson Truman legged out an infield single to set the stage for Wallace's game-winning hit.

Entering with runners at second and third, Sillas extinguished the fifth-inning jam and retired all eight batters he faced, punctuated by a rally-killing strikeout in the fifth and two more in the seventh to bookend his first save in a Baker uniform.

BC 5, BU 0
The Ravens offense finally made an appearance in the final game of the Heart's marquee matchup of the week, totaling 12 hits and scoring all five of their runs between the fourth and fifth innings.

BU starter Brady Friend notched together three straight scoreless frames before Benedictine broke the deadlock in the top of the fourth. The Ravens plated four runs in the fifth to chase Friend, but were held in check the rest of the way by BU relievers Gage Callaghan (1.0 IP), Andrew Ryan (0.2 IP) and Ashton McCurty (1.0 IP).

Spoiling the five walks they drew throughout the contest, the Wildcats were nearly held hitless and avoided disaster thanks to Jenkins' two-out single in the fourth.

Up next, Baker is scheduled to host a single, nine-inning game against non-conference opponent Saint Mary on Wednesday, April 1, at 6:35 p.m. at the Kansas City Monarchs' home facility, Legends Field, in Kansas City, Kan.

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