IW falls in non-conference home game

A rough start doomed the Iowa Wesleyan baseball team on Tuesday night. The Tigers went down by four runs to the visiting Cornell Rams in the top of the first inning and could never get back at even, eventually falling 9-4.

Cornell's bats were hot right from the first pitch. The Rams loaded the bases and took an early 4-0 lead. A Tavares Williams two-RBI single cut the Rams' lead in half, and it was 4-2 after one inning.

Cornell added two runs in the top of the second inning. Minami Matsumoto cut the lead to 6-3 with an RBI single in the bottom of the second, but the Tigers would never get any closer than three runs.

The Rams scored one run in the top of the fourth inning. Chazz Brown got htat run back with an RBI-triple in the bottom of the fifth, but that was the last run IW would get.

Cornell scored one each in the seventh and eighth to stretch their lead in the final innings, and the Tigers dropped their third straight game.

The Tigers had five hits in the home loss. Matsumoto, Brown, Williams, Joe Mitchell and Dominic Gerace all ended the game with one hit.

Brandon Devillier took the loss, giving up six earned runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out one batter. He ended up throwing one full inning. Everett Swinson threw eight innings and gave up three earned runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out seven.

The Tigers were coming off a tough end to the Eureka series on Monday. Eureka used a 13-run sixth inning to run away from the Tigers 25-7 to take the series 2-1.

Brown went 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored in that game. Matsumoto was 2-4 with an RBI and one run scored.

Four different pitchers threw in game three against Eureka. Cullen Papenhagan gave up six earned runs over 2.1 innings of work, giving up three hits and five walks and striking out one batter.

IW is currently 4-15-1 overall and 2-5 in conference play. They'll host Westminster for a three-game set this weekend, playing one game on Friday, April 5, and two games on Saturday, April 6.