The Wayne State University baseball team avoided elimination on May 8 by defeating Purdue Northwest 12-9 during the second day of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament at UWM Field in Utica, Michigan. The Warriors, seeded second, improved their overall record to 36-13 and will next face the loser of Davenport versus Parkside for another elimination game.
The matchup featured strong offensive performances from both teams, with a total of seven home runs and 21 runs scored on 22 hits. Wayne State hit four home runs while Purdue Northwest had three. The game saw several lead changes before Wayne State took control in the fourth inning following a three-run error by Purdue Northwest’s second baseman and a subsequent three-run home run by Ty Garza.
Drew Hill contributed two home runs for Wayne State, bringing his season total to eleven. Owen Tuccinardi also homered, tying the program’s single-season record with his thirteenth round-tripper. “A grand total of seven home runs were hit, with three coming off PNW bats and four by WSU players,” according to the team’s statement.
On the mound, Gavin Nash started for Wayne State but lasted just over an inning before being relieved by Gabe Nazelli, who picked up his fifth win of the season despite allowing four earned runs over nearly five innings. Macio Miller provided middle relief before Rocco Cardinale closed out the final five outs without allowing a baserunner to secure his seventh save this year.
The Warriors compete at the NCAA Division II level as part of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and play their home games in Detroit under the nickname “Warriors” with ‘W the Warrior’ as their mascot, according to the official website.
Looking ahead, Wayne State will continue its pursuit of another conference title after previously capturing it in 2010 according to the official website. The outcome of their next elimination game will determine if they advance further in this year’s tournament.
