TUCSON, AZ. – The Wesleyan baseball team was defeated by Luther in a high scoring affair Sunday afternoon in Tucson. In a rare one-game day for the Cardinals and Norse in Arizona, the teams combined for enough runs for a handful of games, eventually concluding with Luther coming away with a 19-14 victory. A back-and-forth game, the three hour and 30 minute contest had four lead changes, 33 runs, 30 hits, eight pitchers used, five home runs, and a singular player with six hits and 10 RBIs. The Norse built an 18-9 advantage going into the bottom of the 6^th after a 10-run top half. Wesleyan would fight back over the final three innings of play, outscoring Luther 5-1 over that span but the comeback effort fell short and the Norse were able to hang on for the win. Luther improves to 7-7 with the win, while the Cardinals fall back under .500 at 4-5 with the loss.
 
HIGHLIGHTS:

• This high scoring matchup got out to a fast start, with the Norse adding a first-inning run to gain the 1-0 advantage. Following the first inning run, there was an extremely rare back-to-back scoreless half innings, with neither team able to push a run across and the game moved into the bottom of the 2^nd still at 1-0 in favor of the Norse
• The Wesleyan offense got going in the bottom of the 2^nd, plating four runs on three hits to take their first lead of the contest. Cole Torino '24 had the big hit of the inning, driving in two with a single to center field that put the Cards on top. The Norse came back in the next half inning to retake the lead, scoring four runs of their own on four hits including a Noah Sebben home run and led 5-4
• Luther extended their lead to 8-4 in the 4^th, but the Cardinals came right back. Wesleyan used a three-hit five-run 5^th inning to complete the third lead change of the contest. Kyle Sylvester '22 and Dylan Judd '22 came up with back-to-back huge hits. Sylvester started it off with a 2-run double to trim the deficit to just 8-6. The double was followed up by a Judd home run to center field and just like that the game was once again tied at eight. Ernie Little '26 managed to finish the inning with a big play, stealing home to give the Cards a 9-8 lead
• Just like they did all afternoon, the Norse battled right back, this time in a big way. The Luther offense came alive in the top of the 6^th, scoring 10 runs on six hits to blow the game open at 18-9. The Norse hit for power in the inning, ripping multiple extra-base hits including two home runs for the 4^th and final lead change of the game
• The Cardinals attempted to fight back in the final three innings of play, outscoring the Norse 5-1 over that span but their comeback effort would fall short. Wesleyan managed to trim the Luther lead to just 19-14 with two runners on, but the Norse pitchers closed it out

NOTES:

• The Cardinals used five pitchers in this one, with Matt Spada '26 (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 K's) coming in for relief for the final two innings of play
• Judd (3-for-4, 1 HR, 3 R, 2 RBIs) and Sylvester (2-for-5, 1 HR, 2 R, 3 RBIs) each had home runs. For Judd it is his 2^nd of the season, for Sylvester it is his 1^st of his career
• Luke LaSaracina '25 (3-for-6, 1 R, 2 RBIs) and Little (2-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBIs) both have big days at the plate for the Cards as well
• The Norse outhit the Cards 16-14. Luther's Aiden Michna finished 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs

 
UP NEXT:
Wesleyan will have a day off before they get back on the diamond to face Carleton on Tuesday March 21^st for the first of two games they will play against the Knights in three days.