GRANGER — Strong pitching helped Woodward-Granger claim a WCAC twinbill against visiting Earlham Thursday.
Hawks hurlers Caden Easter and Reese Jamison received timely offensive help as W-G posted a 7-2 win in the opener, with the home team defense helping deliver a 2-1 win in the nightcap.
W-G (3-0, 2-0) was the visitor in the first game and held a 2-1 lead after three frames. Four Hawk runs crossed the plate in the top of the fourth as their advantage swelled to 6-1, with each team scoring once in the sixth.
Easter went 4-2/3 frames, yielding two runs on two hits. He struck out nine and walked three. Jamison went 2-1/3, allowing a hit while fanning two.
Trevor Simmons added a double to a single while driving in one run, scoring once and stealing four bases. Tate Lettow had two base hits, with Bryce Achenbach, Joe Rhodes and Worth Henry also adding singles.
Jay Dorenkamp drove in two runs, with Achenbach, Rhodes and Hunter Pifer each recording one RBI.
Alex Caskey pitched seven innings for the Cardinals. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and three walks while tallying four strikeouts.
The hosts scored twice in the bottom of the first in game two, with Rhodes and Simmons driving in Henry and Pifer. All four finished the game with singles, with Jack Grell also adding a base hit. Henry and Pifer each stole a base.
Neither team scored until Earlham touched the dish once in the top of the seventh, but sophomore Simmons slammed the door after allowing a hit in one inning to earn the save.
Simmons was on in relief of junior Jay Dorenkamp, who collected the win in six innings of solid work. He worked around one hit and five walks while recording six strikeouts.
Earlham (1-2, 0-2) went with John Humphrey all the way. He yielded two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out nine in six innings.
W-G hosts West Central Valley Tuesday before playing a varsity doubleheader at Interstate-35 Thurdsay, with a trip to Clarke on tap for May 31.
