LEWISTON, ID. – Indiana Wesleyan baseball picked up the program’s first victory in the NAIA Baseball World Series on Saturday, knocking off No.5 Bellevue 5-3 and advancing in the 2023 Avista NAIA Baseball World Series. The teams battled into the 11th inning before Evan Salmon drove home two runs with an RBI single and Hunter Hoffman shut the door on the Bruins.
- Location: Lewiston, ID. | Harris Field
- Records: Â IWU 40-19-1Â | Â BUÂ 48-10
- Final Score: IWU def. BU 5-3
- Lucas Goodin scored the first run of the game on a RBI single from Colby Jenkins.
- Bellevue tied the game in the bottom of the 3rd with a run of their own.
- Nick Wiley pinch hit in the 4th and drove in MJ Stavola. Goodin scored Jeff Morton with a single to give IWU a 2 run lead.
- The Bruins got one run back in the bottom of the 4th with a solo home run.
- BU tied the game in the 6th with an RBI double.
- The teams played 5 innings of scoreless baseball before Evan Salmon drove in the game winning runs with a 2 RBI single in the 11th.
- Brock Buckley got the start on the mound, going 5.2 innings with 3 strikeouts, 6 hits, and 3 runs.
- Hunter Hoffman earned the win in 5.1 innings of work with 6 strikeouts, 6 hits, and no runs.
- The Wildcats will face Georgia Gwinnett on Monday at 11:35 AM EST.