NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The IU Southeast baseball team extended its winning streak to eight games with 7-3 and 2-1 wins over Brescia University.
IU Southeast (21-7, 11-3 RSC) jumped out to a quick lead by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first in game one. Logan Barnes started the rally with a double and later scored on an error by shortstop Zach Johnson. Two more runs scored off of second baseman Josh Wetzel's error on a grounder off the bat of Clay Benefield. Cody Maloon came in to score when Zach Reboulet drew a bases loaded walk.
Brescia (8-20, 4-14 RSC) cut the lead in half in the top of the second. Colton Hurt and Tanner Tow each had RBI groundouts to get Brescia back in the game.
The Bearcats drew closer in the third when Alex Flock hit his first home run of the year to right field to make it 4-3.
The Grenadiers got that run back in the bottom of the frame. Cody Maloon and Benefield had back-to-back singles. Tanner Leenknecht oot sacrifice bunt down to bring in Maloon.
Leenknecht and Reboulet came through with RBI singles in the fifth to put the game out of reach.
Ryne Underwood (4-1) got the complete-game win for IU Southeast. He gave up three runs on four hits. He struck out four and walked a batter.
Logan Barnes had two hits and Leenknecht and Reboulet each drove in two in the win.
In game two, Brescia got on the board first when Josh Wetzel hit a ground-rule double to right. Alex Flock followed with a single and Shawn Callis hit an RBI single to right to make it 1-0 Bearcats.
Brescia starter Logan Wilkerson shut down the Grenadier offense, which managed only two hits in the game. Wilkerson did have five walks but got some timely double plays to end threats.
In the bottom of the seventh, Maloon led off with a walk and then Nicholas Lugo was hit by a pitch. Julian Flanary got a sac bunt down to move both runners into scoring position. Tanner Leenknecht was intentionally walked to load the bases. Clay Benefield hit a slow grounder to short and Johnson slipped and fell as he was trying to make a play. Maloon came in to tie the game.
Matt Volz was the next batter and he took the first pitch for strike one. As the ball was being thrown back to Wilkerson, it hit off of his glove and rolled to second base which allowed Lugo to score the winning run in a crazy finish.
Jack Drew worked a scoreless seventh to earn his second win of the season in relief of Brandon Nylin. Nylin was very good, working six innings and allowing one run on six hits while walking two and striking out a pair.
IU Southeast concludes the series with Brescia Sunday at 2 p.m.
