MASON, Ohio - An upset, a slugfest and a late run-rule game highlighted the opening day of action at the Great Midwest Baseball Championship at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio. No. 2 seed Ashland survived a slugfest with No. 5 Cedarville, No. 6 Walsh edged No. 1 Tiffin in extras and No. 4 Kentucky Wesleyan routed No. 3 Trevecca Nazarene.
Ashland and Kentucky Wesleyan will play Thursday night while Walsh and Trevecca have the 1:15 game. TIffin and Cedarville open Thursday at noon in an elimination game.
Followers can find an updated baseball bracket by clicking the links in the top right of this story.
Game 1: #6 Walsh 4, #1 Tiffin 3 (BOX SCORE)
A back-and-forth battle in the late innings went to the No. 6 seed Walsh in a 4-3 upset over top seed Tiffin in the first game of the tournament. Tiffin led for much of the day before a late home run gave new life to the Cavs, who won on an error in the 10th inning.
Walsh's Andrew Morse walked and scored the winning run, crossing the plate on a throwing error. Behind ace Michael Boswell, Tiffin led 3-1 for much of the day until a game-tying, two-run homer by WU's Joey Holiga in the top of the 8th. Tiffin threatened in the bottom of the 9th, loading the bases with one out. Walsh cut the winning run down at home plate on a pitch in the dirt and then got a strikeout looking to get out of the inning and send it to extras. TU also had something going in the bottom of the 8th, when Cal Brazier led off by reaching on an error, then catcher Nich Green put down a perfectly-placed bunt single. But Walsh made the big defensive play, turning a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
Boswell struck out 16 and allowed two earned runs (three runs total) over 8.0 innings. He threw 131 pitches before handing off the ball to Matt Carden, who retired six of the eight batters he faced but allowed the game-winning unearned run. Walsh's Holiga went 2-for-5 and drove in three as all six of Walsh's hits came from the first five spots in the lineup. Brant Alzaeus started for Walsh and struck out nine, with Cole Brogan getting the win and Alex Beyerle slamming the door in the 10th for the save.
Walsh advanced to play Trevecca Nazarene Thursday afternoon.
Game 2: #2 Ashland 13, #5 Cedarville 6 (BOX SCORE)
Down 6-2 in the middle of the game, No. 2 seed Ashland erupted for 11 runs over three innings to pull past No. 5 Cedarville 13-6 on Wednesday afternoon. Ashland pounded out 12 hits (10 singles) and five different Eagles had multi-RBI games.
Tim Zeller went 4-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs and Ian Sanders drove in three for Ashland, which also took advantage of four CU errors. The key inning with a 5-spot for AU in the bottom of the 7th when it was a 6-5 CU lead. Ashland got four hits and jumped on a pair of errors in the inning. Ashland then added three more runs in the 8th to put the game away.
In addition to getting four hits, Zeller also earned the win on the mound in relief. He retired eight batters and didn't allow a run.
Ashland advanced to play Kentucky Wesleyan, which one Wednesday's nightcap.
Game 3: #4 Kentucky Wesleyan 14, #3 Trevecca Nazarene 2 (BOX SCORE)
Kentucky Wesleyan, the tourney's No. 4 seed, jumped on No. 3 seed Trevecca Nazarene in the top of the 1st with four runs and continued the onslaught in Wednesday's final game. KWC totaled 17 hits with seven going for extra bases in the 14-3 victory. Kyle Werries homered twice for the Panthers and Jaret Humphrey went 4-for-5 with a double.
Werries finished with seven RBIs, highlighted by a grand slam in a 7-run 4th inning that put the game away. Reece Puckett and Robert Chayka each had three hits as the Panthers were aggressive early in at bats and gave plenty of breathing room for a quality start from Seth Wright, who went all seven innings and allowed just three hits.
KWC and Ashland will play Thursday evening at 6 p.m. ET.