The Wayne State University baseball team faced Purdue Northwest in Hammond, Indiana, on Friday. The Warriors, with a record of 10-13 overall and 0-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), fell behind early, conceding seven runs in the first two innings. However, they rallied to take an 8-7 lead in the top of the 10th inning. Despite this comeback, the game ended with Purdue Northwest securing a 9-8 victory in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Wayne State’s offense began to show life in the third inning with a run and continued to fight back with three runs each in the fifth and seventh innings, pulling the game to a 7-7 tie by the end of the ninth inning. In extra innings, the Warriors briefly took the lead when Gabe Zeldes from West Bloomfield, Michigan, hit a sacrifice fly to bring Bennett Hitzelberger in, making the score 8-7.
The Pride quickly responded in the same inning when their first two batters reached base, setting up a successful sacrifice fly that scored both runners, securing the win. “Macio Miller gave up seven runs, three earned, with three walks and no strikeouts,” but it was TJ McAllister who delivered an impressive bullpen performance. He pitched six and one-third innings without allowing a run, giving up just two hits while issuing two walks and recording four strikeouts.
The loss was attributed to Ethan Getting, who had transferred from Purdue Northwest, after conceding the winning runs in the 10th inning. Despite striking out the side in the ninth, Getting could not hold the lead his team fought to acquire.
Wayne State and Purdue Northwest are set to face off again in a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday starting at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.
