WILLIAMSTOWN, MA. – Returning to form, the Wesleyan University baseball team dusted off the program's Little Three Champions title on Saturday afternoon, splitting the series doubleheader with Williams following Friday night's victory at home. The Cardinals won game one 10-4 but fell in game two 13-5 and sit atop the NESCAC West division with a conference leading 6-3 record.

Last named Little Three Champions in 2024, the Cardinals turned out 2-1 series victories over the Mammoths and the Ephs, the Mammoths' defeat completed in March. The championship victory is the first for head coach Matt Reynolds as he continues to guide the Cardinals through his first season with the program. The Cardinals hold 31 Little Three titles.

The Ephs found an opening run in the second inning, but the Cardinals rallied to tie the game at one. Jonah Timmons '27 scored on a sacrificed fly from Matthew DeBenedictis '29. The Cardinals tied the game back up at two, this time with James Marsden '26 scoring with an error at third base after opening with a single to the right.

Another Ephs error at the top of the fifth led to Jake Acker's '27 game-leading run at three. DeBenedictis plated a run on Marsden's RBI double and William Moore '26 followed on a wild pitch. Oliver Kwan '28 hit a bunt to place Marsden home and scored his own run on a ground out. Acker nailed a single to left field, advancing Timmons and Sam Hensinger '26 to the plate.

Returning two runs in the sixth, the Ephs could not catch the Cardinals at nine runs and the Cardinals scored a 10^th in the seventh. Sebastian Ortiz '28 cleared the plate, scoring on a sacrificed fly.
Shamus Kelly '28earned his third win of the season, pitching six innings as he struck out two and allowed four runs, three walks, and 10 hits. Conor Humowiecki '29 closed the game, striking out one.

The odds tilted far favorably for the Ephs in game two, the Ephs climbing to a three-run lead in the opening inning. The Cardinals answered, loading the bases for Hensinger '26 to score as Tucker DeWolf '28 was walked. DeBenedictis and Moore both hit singles, giving time to Timmons and Acker to tie the game.

The Ephs scored four runs over the course of the next three innings, but the Cardinals would not return to the plate until the sixth inning. Kato Mangum '28 doubled and stole third base, scoring on Acker's ball to center field. Acker tackled his second run of the game and his third of the day on a catcher's error. Returning six more runs, the Ephs reached a 13-5 lead by the eighth inning and held to split the series.

Oliver Dmochowski '28 pitched over three innings, allowing six runs and two walks while striking out two batters. Kevin Brown '28, third in the rotation for the game, pitched two innings and struck out four with just one dropped run.

The Cardinals return to action on Friday, April 17, when they host Middlebury at home at 4 p.m.