MARION, Ind. - Different scripts, same result. The Forester baseball team wrapped up opening weekend of Crossroads League play in dramatic fashion Saturday afternoon, sweeping Indiana Wesleyan 5-4 and 6-5 at Crandall Family Field to complete the four-game series shutout of the Wildcats.
While both contests were decided by a single run, they couldn't have felt more different.
Game One – Huntington 5, Indiana Wesleyan 4
The opener featured some late-game heroics.
Trailing 4-3 heading into the ninth, Huntington (14-1, 4-0 CL) delivered when it mattered most. After back-to-back singles put ducks on the pond, Keifer Wilson came through with a clutch knock through the left side to tie the game at 4-4. Cam Clarkson followed with HU's fourth straight base hit to load the bases before Owen Willard dashed home on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run.
Wilson finished a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs, accounting for all but one of HU's runs. He drove in a run with a first-inning sacrifice groundout, added a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh, and swiped a base for good measure. Zach Pelletier added an RBI single in the sixth.
Huntington pounded out 10 hits in the opener, including multi-hit efforts from Jace Fowler (2-for-5, three runs scored), Willard (2-for-5) and Clarkson (2-for-4).
The ninth inning wasn't without tension. An error and hit batter gave the Wildcats life with runners on the corners, but Dylan Eggl calmly shut the door. The senior right-hander induced a double play before recording the final out on a lineout to secure his fourth save of the season.
Grant Simmons got the starting nod, tossing six innings with seven strikeouts before Keegan Shovlain added two scoreless frames with three punchouts to earn the win before handing things to Eggl.
Game Two – Huntington 6, Indiana Wesleyan 5
The nightcap saw the Foresters work the other direction. This time, Huntington did its damage early, plating four runs in the first inning. Pelletier sparked the rally with a two-run double down the right field line. Tanner Reinartz added a sacrifice fly, and Braden Kauffman laced an RBI double to cap the frame.
HU tacked on two more in the third on Kauffman's sac fly and an RBI single by RJ Anglin to build a 6-1 cushion.
Pelletier led the charge offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. Kauffman drove in two, Anglin added a hit and two walks, and Reinartz chipped in an RBI double as part of HU's nine-hit effort.
Indiana Wesleyan chipped away, scoring three in the fourth to cut the deficit to 6-4 before making one final push in the seventh. After two quick outs, Greg Vineyard doubled and later scored on Jake Thompson's RBI single to make it 6-5. With the tying run on base, Eggl once again slammed the door, coaxing a groundout to secure his second save of the afternoon.
Kai Newman picked up the win (2-1), striking out three over 3.2 innings. Aidan Micinski bridged the middle innings with 1.2 scoreless frames and three strikeouts.
By the Numbers
HU is currently riding a 12-game win streak. Across the doubleheader, Huntington totaled 19 hits and drew eight walks. The pitching staff combined for 18 strikeouts while holding IWU to one home run on the day.
With the sweep, the Foresters improve to 14-1 overall and 4-0 in Crossroads League play. The Wildcats fall to 6-10 overall and 0-4 in league action. Huntington returns to Forest Glen next weekend to host No. 9 Taylor in a four-game series that promises another early-season test.
The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 181 NAIA All-America honors and 631 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. Huntington has a top quartile ranking in the 2026 U.S. News Best Regional Universities Midwest Rankings.
