Warriors Power Past Eagles in Late Game, Earn Sunday Split

MIDDLETON, Tenn. – The Warriors battled giving up the long ball early Sunday and used it for late success. After falling in the first game (14-6) due to allowing four home runs, Waldorf University powered eight sixth-inning runs with Peter Ordino cracking a grand slam home run in a 14-5 win over Midway University to earn the doubleheader baseball split.

Tied at 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning, Midway (3-4) used its third home run of the game, a three-run variety, to key a six-run outburst. The Eagles added a trio of scores in the seventh and held the Warriors (2-1) to a Reno Morehouse RBI double in the seventh to end the opener.

Deadlocked at 1-1 in the top of the third frame, Waldorf's Tyler Wytulka belted a 3-run home run to bring home both Rylee Rauch and Kolby Amaral for a 4-1 lead. The Warrior advantage did not hold up and it took the biggest at bat of the day with eight scores in the top of the sixth capped by the Ordino grand slam with two outs and a 13-5 margin. On in relief, Jamie Olson allowed only one hit and a walk while he fanned four over the final three innings to help seal the Waldorf win.

In the two games, Rauch accounted for three of the team's 20 hits over the 14 Waldorf innings of play while he scored five of the 20 runs. Wytulka drove in five runs with a RBI single in the first contest and three-run home run and bases loaded walk in the late game. Amaral doubled in each game, scored twice and drove in five teammates.

Coming in game one, Zach Meyer went 2 for 3 with a run, while Morehouse was 2 for 4 with a run-scoring double. Atticus Smith singled in each game with a run and one RBI. Ordino finished 2 for 4 in the late game with the grand slam, two runs and four RBI. The final Warriors singles came from Ryan Webster, Ryan Miller (on a pinch hit), and Juan Jorge.

Game 1

After a two-run Midway homer in the top of the first, Wytulka singled home Meyer, who reached on an error to make it 2-1. Trailing 5-1 in the home fourth, Rauch drew a bases loaded walk, before Amaral laced cleared the bases with a double to tie his team at 5-5.

Midway pushed home six in the sixth and three more in the seventh to make it 14-5. With one out in the seventh, Webster was hit by the pitch and raced home on a Morehouse double, but it was the lone run Waldorf was able to manage.

Game 2

After a Amaral RBI double in the first for Waldorf, Midway used a solo homer in the second to tie it at 1-1. With two on and no outs in the third, Wytulka cranked the first Warrior home run, a three-run blast, for a 4-1 score.

Down 5-4 in the visiting fifth, Rauch, who led off with a single, ran home on a passed ball to tie the contest, 5-5.

Ordino started the Warrior sixth with a single and scored what would be the game-winning run on Ian Carr's fielder's choice bunt two batters later. Amaral and Wytulka drew back-to-back bases loaded walks before Smith singled home a run for a 9-5 lead. Following two outs and the bases still loaded, Ordino connected on his grand slam to punctuate the eight-run frame.

Waldorf is now off until it travels to Atchison, Kansas for a four-game series at Benedictine College starting next Saturday (Feb. 17) in a 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. doubleheader.

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