MAJORS SWEEP ILLINOIS WESLEYAN

The Millsaps Majors completed a two-game sweep of Illinois Wesleyan on Tuesday (3/16/04), winning 7-4. The Majors won game one of the series on Sunday, 5-3. Millsaps improved to 13-5, while the Titans fell to 1-2.

Game one, played under rain-swollen clouds, looked to be an easy Majors' victory as they held a seemingly comfortable 4-0 lead through six innings. Millsaps struck for two runs in the third and two in the sixth. The first two runs scored on a Scott Staines' RBI grounder and a Joe Thrash RBI single. Runs three and four were the result of a Ben Wilson RBI single and a Jason Hadley fielder's choice RBI.

Starter and winner Stephen Kirkpatrick (2-1) was in command through six as he limited the Titans to no runs on just two hits. He also fanned eight. Nelson led off the Illinois Wesleyan seventh with a solo homer to left. After a hit batsman, Todd Kindler came on to get three outs on two pitches. A nifty Garner Wetzel to Ben Wilson double-play was the key component to the inning.

A Millsaps error led to two unearned runs in the Titan eighth as they closed the gap to 4-3. The Majors added an insurance run in the bottom half, thanks to a Wetzel triple and a perfectly executed Wilson bunt RBI single.

Closer Tal Hendrix shut the door in the ninth as he picked up his fourth save. Himes (0-1) took the loss for Illinois Wesleyan.

Wilson (3 for 4) and Bo Roberts (2 for 3) had multiple hits for the Majors.

Tuesday's affair, played in brilliant sunshine, was a big-inning game. Millsaps broke it open as they scored all of their runs in the fourth. After one out, Stu Phillips popped a homer. That opened the floodgates as the Majors, aided by three Titan errors, piled it on. The scoring was capped by a Ryan Skertich two-run long ball. Five of the seven runs were unearned.

It stayed that way through eight as Todd Kindler (3-1) was in total control. The right-hander handcuffed the Titans on three hits until the ninth. He still had his sights set on a shutout, when, with two out, McCabe blasted a grand slam. Kindler retired the next hitter for the complete-game victory. Koper (0-1) took the loss for the Titans.

Skertich (2 for 2) and Staines (2 for 4) had multiple hits for the Majors while Nick Crawford, Wilson, and Prentiss Lawson each had an RBI.

The Majors now take to the road for a busy weekend as they play five games in three days, starting with a Friday twin bill at Rust, followed by a three-game SCAC series at Rhodes on Saturday (2) and Sunday.