RICHMOND – The Earlham College baseball team split a conference doubleheader with Anderson University on Friday afternoon in Sadler Stadium.
The Quakers move to 21-9 (10-4 HCAC) on the season while the Ravens sit at 17-17 (9-4 HCAC).
Earlham retains control of the HCAC lead heading into the weekend with Franklin (8-4) in close pursuit.
GAME ONE: EARLHAM 7 ANDERSON 4
The Quaker seniors showcased their talents in the series that was scheduled to be senior day.
Aidan Talarek pitched a complete game win in the opening contest of the doubleheader. The senior tossed 96 pitches and surrendered a total of 11 hits and four earned runs while fanning eight batters.
Michael Medley scored two hits and two RBI while batting .500 in game one.
Jeordon Kuderer recorded his first collegiate home run to cap off the Quaker scoring in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Easton Embry scored two RBI and a double.
With the win, Talarek enters a tie for third place in Quaker Baseball history with his seventh win of the season. Talarek also leads the HCAC in current wins in the 2022 season.
The Ravens scored four runs in the top of the second inning after getting the first batter of the inning on base, and advancing with infield singles. After the third inning, Talarek allowed just five hits and no runs and even got out of a jam in the top of the fourth with the bases loaded.
Earlham got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs scored after Embry's double and a throwing error from the Ravens.
The Quakers scored again in the bottom of the fifth inning from a walk, but after an Anderson pitching change the Quakers were stranded with the bases loaded.
Medley and
Devin Basley recorded back-to-back RBI singles to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning before Kuderer's fence shot in the seventh.
GAME TWO: EARLHAM 6 ANDERSON 7 (10 Innings)
Dillon Fischer started game two on the mound and threw four innings with nine hits and four earned runs.
Nate Hemmerich and
Jacob Renner both threw two innings in relief with
Nick Carrizales closing down the 10th inning.
Embry blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game and sent it to extra innings.
Christian Lancianese scored two RBI after a homer in the bottom of the eight inning.
The Ravens notched a run in the top of the first inning from a ground rule double to center field. Embry responded in the bottom of the second with an RBI single through the left side to tie the game back at one.
A single in the top of the third brought in another Raven run, and the visitors scored two more in the top of the fifth inning. A home run over the Maroon Monster in the eight inning brought the score to 5-1.
Anderson hit a homer off the first batter of the 10th inning, and successfully held Earlham off home plate to secure the win.
The doubleheader served as the final scheduled game in Sadler Stadium for seniors Talarek, Embry, Medley, Kuderer, Hemmerich, Carrizales, Basley,
Robby Shondel,
Zach Swearingen,
Cameron McCabe and
Andrew Bradley.
The Quakers will travel to Franklin College on Tuesday for a doubleheader with the Grizzlies before concluding their season at Manchester on Saturday at noon. With the schedule change on senior day, the Quaker seniors will be honored at a cookout in Sadler Stadium on Sunday May 8 with their friends and family.
