MOUNT PLEASANT – Jay Olson (So.-Agency, Iowa) hit a grand slam home run, one of five home runs by Iowa Wesleyan College as the Tigers won the opening game of a non-conference doubleheader against Culver-Stockton (Mo.) College Tuesday afternoon at the Mapleleaf Athletic Complex.
The Tigers defeated the Wildcats 10-5 in the first game of the doubleheader, pushing their winning streak to six games before Culver-Stockton won the second game 6-4. Wesleyan lost for the first time in more than a week and dropped to 18-16 overall on the season.
Five different players hit homers in the first game, which featured a total of eight home runs total. CSC’s Sal Rivera led off the game with a first-pitch blast to left, but the Tigers did even better in the bottom of the inning. Josh Sturges (Jr.-Murray, Utah) hit a two-run homer to lead off the scoring for IWC, and two batters later Lino Sampson (So.-Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela) followed with a solo shot to make it 3-1.
The Wildcats scored three times in the top of the second to retake the lead, but the Tigers took the lead back again in the bottom of the inning as Jared Zueck (Sr.-Williamsville, Ill.) hit a two-run homer. Dick Bargewell (Sr.-Burlington, Wash.) also added a solo homer in the third and Wesleyan would not trail the rest of the way.
Culver-Stockton was still down just a run, though, when Olson gave the Tigers a cushion with his blast to clear the bases. The Wildcats had loaded the bases with two hit batters and an intentional walk, but Olson went the opposite way to right field for a grand slam and his first home run of the season.
Travis Parker (Sr.-Taylor Ridge, Ill.) earned the win after a rough start, pitching six innings and allowing 10 hits and five earned runs while striking out four. Edgar Hernandez (Sr.-Jalisco, Mexico) finished the game with a scoreless seventh.
The Tigers went with a jumbled lineup for the second game, sitting a number of regular starters. IWC still was close throughout, but grounded into two double plays and had two runners cut down at third base as well in the third inning to squelch another possible rally.
Michael Rios (Jr.-Florida, Puerto Rico) and Nelcicio York (Sr.-St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles) both hit two-run home runs in the second game, but the Wildcats scored four runs in the first two innings and added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Derek Zander (Jr.-Colorado Springs, Colo.) took the loss and allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Rivera led Culver-Stockton with two home runs on the afternoon and a total of four RBIs. The Wildcats, members of the NAIA Heart of America Athletic Conference and from just down the road in Canton, Mo., are now 17-16 overall this year.
The Tigers return to Midwest Collegiate Conference play this weekend with a three game series in La Crosse, Wis., against Viterbo University. The series starts Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at the Viterbo Outdoor Athletics Complex.
For more information regarding the IWC baseball program or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Box score Game 1 IWC 10 CSC 5
Box score Game 2 CSC 6 IWC 4
