DAVENPORT – Iowa Wesleyan College jumped on St. Ambrose University for nine runs in the opening inning on its way to a 17-1 thrashing of the Fighting Bees Wednesday night at Modern Woodmen Park in the Quad Cities.
The Tigers banged out 13 hits and took advantage of six walks and three hit batsmen. Wesleyan also received another strong pitching performance from Milton Gonzalez (Jr.-Canovanas, Puerto Rico) in winning its second straight game and improving to 24-15 overall, 9-5 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference. IWC also moved once again into a virtual tie with Mount Mercy atop the conference standings, one game behind the Mustangs in the loss column.
Zach Starkey (Sr.-Aurora, Ill.) and Frany Cruz (Sr.-Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) both drove in a pair of runs with hits in a first inning when IWC sent 13 batters to the plate. Jay Olson (Fr.-Agency, Iowa), Edder Morales (Jr.-Barquisimeto, Venezuela) and Jared Zueck (Jr.-Williamsville, Ill.) also all drove in runs and the Tigers chased St. Ambrose starter Beau Belger from the game before recording a single out.
IWC also scored a run in the second and then added four more in the fourth and three runs in the fifth inning. Edwin Jimenez (Sr.-Lawrenceville, Ga.) had hits in both innings, driving in a total of three runs, while Zueck and
Nelcicio York (Jr.-St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles) also drove in runners.
Gonzalez was in complete control of the game on the mound, pitching all seven innings and allowing just four hits. He struck out 11SAU batters and allowed only a single unearned run in the second inning, improving to 4-3 on the season and lowering his earned run average to 3.97.
Zueck had three hits and from his lead-off spot now has reached base 11 times in IWC’s last three games. Diego Marquez (Jr.-Los Mochis Sinaloa, Mexico) also added two hits, while Starkey had a pair of hits and scored three runs.
The Tigers are back in action Monday, facing Clarke College in Dubuque in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. IWC and Clarke will also play a single nine-inning game at noon on Tuesday to wrap up the series.
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 IWC 17 SAU 1
