MIDDLETOWN, CT- Wesleyan baseball sweeps Bates Saturday afternoon, taking both games against the Bobcats at Dresser Diamond. In game one Wesleyan got off to a hot start, scoring the first six runs of the contest to take an early lead. Bates fought back, but Wesleyan pitching was able to shut the door on a 8-4 victory. In game two Bates took the early lead, going up 3-0 in the 2^nd inning before Wesleyan mounted their comeback. The Cardinals scored the next seven runs to take a 7-3 lead into the 7^th and final inning. Bates salvaged two in the final inning, but Wesleyan was able to take both hard-fought games. Wesleyan improves to 17-11, while Bates drops to 6-21.
 
 
HIGHLIGHTS (GAME 1, 8-4 (7 IN) WIN)

• Wesleyan struck first in game one, scoring four runs in the bottom of the 2^nd inning to take an early lead. Ryan Molinari '22 drove in Adam Geibel '22 who singled to open Wesleyan's half of the inning. Wes Fritch '22 doubled home two more two batters later to extend the lead to three. The final run of the inning was by virtue of an RBI-groundout by Cole Torino '24
• Wesleyan added another two runs over the next two innings to take a commanding 6-0 lead. In the 3^rd, Molinari drove in his 2^nd run of the game on a sacrifice fly. In the 4^th it was Dylan Judd '22 who delivered the sacrifice fly to bring home Fritch who had singled to open up the inning
• Bates fought back in the 5^th, scoring four runs on four hits to cut the lead to just two. The Bobcats had the bases loaded, but Ian Appleby '24 came in relief and got the final out of the inning to stop the bleeding. Appleby then completed a scoreless final two innings to give Wesleyan the 8-4 victory

 
NOTES:

• Wes Fritch (3-for-3, 3 runs, 2 RBI) had his 6^th 3-hit game of the season
• Dylan Judd (1 RBI) has recorded at least one RBI in 6 of his last 7 games
• Ian Appleby (2.1 IP, 0 Hits, 0 Runs, 3 K's) earns the save
• Wesleyan outhit Bates 9-7

 
HIGHLIGHTS (GAME 2, 7-5 (7 IN) WIN)

• Both teams' offenses got going in the 2^nd inning, with Bates scoring three in the top half and Wesleyan coming back with one of their own in the bottom half. Bates scored their three runs on two hits and one Wesleyan error. Wesleyan came back with their run on two hits, scoring on a ground out
• The Cardinals tied the game up in the 3^rd, scoring two runs on two hits. Tyler Cosgrove '25 came across on a passed ball, followed by a RBI-single from Kyle Sylvester '22 to drive in Torino
• Wesleyan took the lead for good in the 5^th, scoring four runs on three hits. Cosgrove led off the inning with a solo home run to give the Cardinals the lead for the first time in the game. Wesleyan scored three more runs in the inning, including an RBI-single from Molinari who had a stellar two games for the Cardinals
• Bates tried to stage a late comeback, scoring two runs in the top of the 7^th to make things interesting but Wesleyan closed the game out to take both game on the day

 
NOTES:

• Tyler Cosgrove (1-for-2, 2 runs, 1 HR) hit his first home run of his career
• Dylan Judd (2-for-3) also closed out the game on the mound picking up his 2^nd save of the season
• Kyle Sylvester (1-for-3, 1 run, 2 RBI)
• Both teams recorded eight hits

 
UP NEXT:
Wesleyan returns to the diamond Wednesday April 27^th where they will travel to play a non-conference game against Western Connecticut State University.