RICHMOND, Ind. — Chris Baumann picked up his first collegiate victory on the mound Sunday afternoon thanks to his bat.

Baumann's walk-off single gave the Earlham College baseball team a 6-5 win in the second game of a doubleheader with Wabash College as the two teams finished their North Coast Athletic Conference West Division series at McBride Stadium. The Little Giants won the first contest of the afternoon 17-11.

Andrew Morrical walked to begin the bottom of the seventh inning in the second game as Earlham trailed 5-4. Tyler Schroeder followed with a single that sent Morrical to second base.

Jake Carr hit a perfectly placed single into left field to tie the game as Morrical scored and Schroeder moved to third to set the stage for Baumann. “I wasn't nervous at all,” Baumann said. “I was ready to hit the ball.”

Wabash closer Luke Zinsmaster, who earned his third save of the season in Sunday's opener, was on the mound for the Little Giants (15-15, 8-2). “I knew we didn't have anything to lose,” Baumann said. “I just went up there to swing that bat.”

The result was a single to left that brought Schroeder home with the winning run. “To come back against Wabash was the greatest feeling,” Baumann said.

Little Giants Take Early Lead

Wabash scored a run in the second inning to take an early lead in the second contest. The Little Giants took a 5-0 lead with four runs in the fourth as they looked for the sweep.

Earlham started its comeback with four runs in the bottom of the sixth as the Quakers sent 10 batters to the plate.

With one out, Morrical walked. Schroeder had an infield single and Carr produced the first run of the game for the Quakers with a single. Baumann then had a RBI single to make it 5-2.

Corey Murray knocked in a run on a groundout and Nate Chandler drove in the fourth run as he hit into a fielder's choice. The Quakers had an opportunity to tie the contest against Wabash starter Brian Van Duyn, but Nate Reynolds hit a fielder's choice to third that ended the inning.

Baumann (1-0) carried the momentum of the rally back to the mound as he worked a perfect top of the seventh to set up winning rally. He worked 3 2/3 innings in relief of starter Ross Yoho. Baumann gave up one run on three hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Yoho went 3 1/3 innings and surrendered four runs on one hit with five walks.

Schroeder led the Quakers with three hits, while Carr, Baumann and Conner Gable had two hits apiece.

Game One

In the opener, Yoho became the first Earlham player to hit two homers in a game since Morrical accomplished the same feat on March 1, 2008.

Adding to Yoho's moment was the fact his first blast came as a left-handed hitter. The second was from the right side. No records exist of Earlham switch-hitters connecting for homers from both sides of the plate in a game. Morrical hit his long balls in a 20-5 win at Principia College.

A Lot of Runs

After a scoreless first inning of the opener, both teams put six runs on the board in the second inning.

Trailing 6-0, the Quakers closed the gap when Murray reached on an error and Gable followed with a home run to right field to make it 6-2. With one out, Yoho tripled and then scored on a wild pitch.

Later in the frame, Schroeder added a RBI single and Morrical also scored on a play because of a Wabash error. Carr finished the rally with a sacrifice fly that tied the contest at 6-6.

Wabash went back on top 9-6 with three runs in the top of the third.

Earlham responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Chander walked with one out and Yoho hit his first homer of the game to make it 9-8.

In the fourth, Earlham grabbed a 10-9 advantage. Baumann hit a sacrifice fly to tie the contest before Murray singled to knock in the run that gave the Quakers the lead.

Yoho homered for the second time in the fifth inning to make it 11-9.

Unfortunately for the Quakers, the Little Giants scored five times in the sixth and then added three more runs in the seventh.

Yoho led the Quakers with three hits, while Schroeder, Baumann and Gable had two hits each.

Shawn Kinnett (1-5) took the loss in relief of Murray, who had started the contest. Kinnett gave up three runs on two hits as he worked in Wabash's five-run sixth.

A Little History

With the win over Wabash, John Cate became the first Earlham coach to earn a victory against every NCAC West Division opponent since the Quakers joined the league in 1990.

Earlham (7-18, 2-12) is back in action on Wednesday against Defiance College at McBride Stadium. The non-conference doubleheader gets underway at 5 p.m.

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score