NEW LONDON, CT. – Putting away four runs during a mid-week non-conference matchup,
Connor Sullivan '26 led the Wesleyan baseball team to a 10-7 win over the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on Wednesday evening, marking Wesleyan's first road win of the season.
Breaking two losses in a row, the Cardinals (9-16 overall) returned 10 runs for their seventh double-digit win of the season, four of which were produced alone by Sullivan as he returned to the lineup.
An uneventful first inning led to the Cardinals taking their lead in the second, running two up on the Bears.
Evan Diaz '25 hit a single to center field, stealing second with
James Marsden '26 at the plate. Diaz reached home as Sullivan doubled to the Bears' center fielder. A wild pitch placed Sullivan on third, but it was
Troy Ashkinos '28 that provided enough time for Sullivan to score.
Opening the third with a new Bears (16-11 overall) pitcher awaiting him,
Tyler Cosgrove '25 put a pitch in left field and maneuvered his way to second base on a balk by Sean Rojas. Diaz was walked on the next at bat and both Cosgrove and Diaz stole second and third on a strikeout from
Luke LaSaracina '25. Sullivan reached on a fielder's choice; Cosgrove scored to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.
The Bears finally caught a break at the top of the fifth inning with Kael Godshalk and Luke Percifield scoring on Carson Cho's single to right field.
Sullivan's second run began with a ball to center field, reaching second after an error by the Bears' short stop allowed Ashkinos to reach. Following a ground out by
William Moore '26 that advanced Sullivan and Ashkinos,
Jake Acker '27 walked but it was Sullivan that was able to reach home on the passed ball that ensued. Ashkinos and Acker scored on
Jack Carpenter's '25 next appearance at the plate as the senior singled to the outfield.
Nearly tying the game at the bottom of the sixth inning, the Bears caught the Cardinals and fell within just one run. Parker Madden scored on a home run to the right field by Wyatt Duthu before Drew Basque reached by way of Godshalk's single.
Highlighting the seventh, Sullivan crushed a double to left field to make him the lone baserunner for the Cardinals and rounded third base to home with the help of Ashkinos putting a ball in left field. The Cardinals' two-run lead was short lived by the second half of the inning, Cho brough the Bears to another one-run differential as he scored on a sacrificed fly.
The Cardinals took their final lead in the closing inning, beginning once again with Sullivan up to bat. A short stop error allowed Sullivan to reach, advancing on the ground out by Ashkinos. Moore bat a single to the Bears' short stop, Sullivan moved to third. Sullivan's final run came on the heels of a sacrificed fly by Acker. After stealing third base, Moore was pushed home by Carpenter, but it was Carpenter with the final run of the game thanks to
Marcus Jang '25 with a ball to right field. The Bears closed with one more run credited to Mason Phillips.
Colin Lautzenheiser '28 earns the win for the Cardinals after pitching 5.2 innings, marking one strikeout while allowing five runs and eight hits.
Lucca Frattone '27 entered in the seventh and pitched the eighth inning, allowing just one run with three strikeouts. Marsden earns the game save for the Cardinals, pitching the remainder of the ninth while striking out two batters.
The Cardinals return to action on Friday, April 18, when they host Amherst in the first of the weekend series beginning at 4 p.m.
