GAME STATS 1 | GAME STATS 2 PICTURED ABOVE (L-R): Trey Martin and Evan Rahn.

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Fort Myers, Fla. – On its final day of the spring trip, the Wheaton College baseball team won its first game 6-2 and lost its second game 7-6 against Otterbein University on Saturday.

The Thunder head back home with a 6-4 record in its season-opening series of games at the Gene Cusic Classic.

Right-handed pitcher Evan Rahn (2-0) earned the start in Saturday's first game and he responded with a dominating effort. The sophomore went the distance, throwing seven innings and only allowing two runs on three hits. Despite five walks, Rahn also missed plenty of bats in racking up eight strikeouts with an effective combination of his fastball and curve.

For the fourth-straight game, Wheaton held its opponent to under three runs. The Thunder offense made sure it stood up. The first inning began with two singles and walk to lead the bases. After consecutive strikeouts, Wheaton pushed across a run on an RBI walk by Desmond Cato. A throwing error plated the second run of the inning.

While both pitchers were throwing blanks from then on, Otterbein tied the score at 2-2 in the fifth inning. Billy Harkenrider lifted a fly ball to right field that barely cleared the short porch, skimming the top of the 300-foot wall for a two-run homer.

Wheaton responded in their half of the fifth with an RBI double by Trey Martin that scored Drew Golz. Three more runs came in the sixth off a triple from John Jensen-Johnson, a single from Ryan Miller and a sacrifice fly by Justin Zeller.

The Thunder closed out the win while tallying 10 hits. Golz was 3-for-4 at the plate, while Jensen-Johnson, Miller and Martin all had two hits each.

Game two was a see-saw of momentum throughout. Otterbein struck in the first inning with an RBI double. Wheaton responded in the third with an RBI double from Golz and a run-scoring sacrifice fly by Martin to take a 2-1 lead.

The Cardinals plated two more runs in the fourth, Wheaton tied in fifth and Otterbein went ahead again in its half of the fifth 4-3. The Thunder then broke back with three runs in the sixth. Pinch hitter Alex MaLossi drove in Justin Swider with a single up the middle. Johnson came through again immediately after with his own RBI single to right field. With two outs, Zeller lofted a pop up to right field that fell in to score Miller and give Wheaton the 6-4 lead.

The Thunder was poised to close the game out in the seventh with two outs and one runner on. But Otterbein charged back into the game with two-straight hits, an error and a bases-loaded walk to tie the game. A wild pitch plated the winning run to finish the 7-6 rally for the Cardinals.

Wheaton was held to seven hits while committing two errors. Martin was 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the team. Zeller was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and one RBI.

Matt MaLossi (0-2) took the loss in 2-1/3 innings of relief, allowing three hits, one earned run, one walk and three strikeouts. Starting pitcher Miles Veth lasted 4-1/3 innings and gave up seven hits, three earned runs and two walks.

Wheaton resumes its schedule with a game at Judson University on March 15.