Cougars Drop a Pair at Indiana Wesleyan


	Cougar Baseball Recap Cougars Drop a Pair at Indiana Wesleyan written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director Game 1 Boxscore \| Game 2 Boxscore MARION, Ind. (4-17-2012) - The Mount Vernon Nazarene University baseball team dropped a pair of games on Tuesday at Indiana Wesleyan University as the host Wildcats swept the Mid-Central College Conference doubleheader by the scores of 3-2 and 7-5. In the first game, Indiana Wesleyan (18-27, 10-16 MCC) built a 3-0 lead after the first two innings as the Wildcats scored twice in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run single by Craig Dollens and then added another run in the bottom of the second inning on a run-scoring single by Jacob Murphy. The Cougars (25-15, 16-10 MCC) finally got back in the game in the top of the sixth inning when MVNU plated a pair of runs to pull within 3-2. The first run came in as the result of an error by the Indiana Wesleyan defense, and the second run scored on an RBI single by sophomore third baseman Jeff Stone. Unfortunately for the Cougars, that was as close as they would get in the game as Indiana Wesleyan was able to hold on for the one-run victory. Sophomore right-hander Mike Kochheiser (6-1) suffered his first loss of the year as he gave up eight hits and three runs over six innings with two strikeouts. Meanwhile, Michael Caley improved to 3-5 for the Wildcats as he scattered seven hits and two runs over seven innings to get the victory. Offensively, freshman second baseman Sterling Harpst *(right)* led the Cougars by going 3-for-3 including a lead-off triple in the top of the third inning, but he was stranded there. Stone also had two hits for MVNU. Murphy and Josh Ellis paced Indiana Wesleyan with two hits apiece. "The tone for game one was set in the first inning," said MVNU coach Keith Veale. "We hit three lazy fly balls, and they went base hit, bunt base hit, sac bunt, and base hit for two runs. We really squandered a couple of opportunities in the second and third innings, which could have changed the momentum. We got a couple (of runs) in the sixth, but we left a couple more runners on. Mike settled in and really threw well after the second inning. We just didn't come through with enough offensive execution." The Cougars got on the scoreboard first in the second game when junior shortstop Jordan Doherty hit a double to deep leftfield with two outs. Harpst followed with a single to center to drive in Doherty as MVNU took a 1-0 lead. The lead was short-lived, though, as Indiana Wesleyan took advantage of four hits and three walks to score five runs in the bottom of the second inning as the Wildcats grabbed a 5-1 advantage. The Cougars pulled within 5-3 on a two-out, two-run double by freshman outfielder Jake Dickerson in the top of the third inning, but a two-out, two-run triple by Quinn Nofziger in the bottom of the fourth inning extended Indiana Wesleyan's lead back out to 7-3. MVNU pulled within 7-5 with single runs in both the top of the fifth and sixth innings as Doherty and senior first baseman Josh Roberts each had an RBI single. However, the Cougars were unable to get any closer as they stranded six base runners in the last three innings alone and 11 total for the game. Freshman right-hander Kenny McCambridge (0-1) made his first appearance of the year on the mound for MVNU. He worked five innings and allowed six hits, four walks, and seven runs (five earned). Sophomore right-hander Seth Eller tossed the final inning and walked one batter. Ryne Brown (6-4) earned the win for the Wildcats as he scattered 13 hits, two walks, and five runs over seven innings with two strikeouts. Harpst led the Cougars' offense once again as he went 3-for-4, while Roberts, Eller, and Doherty each added two hits apiece. Murphy and Nofziger collected two hits each for Indiana Wesleyan with Nofziger driving in three runs and Murphy and Peter Engle each driving in two runs apiece. "With a few guys banged up on our pitching staff, we gave Kenny his first innings of the year," said Veale. "(Indiana Wesleyan) touched us for four runs in the second inning, which again found us fighting up hill. All things considered, Kenny got us through five innings with only a couple unearned runs in the fourth. I thought we moved the ball hard on offense. We scored here and there, but never put together a big inning. I think we left runners on base every inning." "On the day, I felt it came down to giving too many at bats away," Veale added. "We just had a lot of nonproductive at bats. Opportunities to move a runner and we would pop out. Opportunities to lead off an inning on base and we would fly out. Opportunities to drive in a run and we would hit a weak ground ball. To their credit, (Indiana Wesleyan) seemed to produce in those situations." MVNU will look to bounce back on Thursday when the Cougars will host the Wildcats in another MCC doubleheader at Cougar Field that is slated to begin at 2 p.m.

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