Rahm's homer gives #23 Wesleyan baseball sweep of Capital

Rocky Mount, NC - Thanks to a solo homerun by freshman shortstop Justin Rahm (pictured), the North Carolina Wesleyan baseball team came from behind to down Capital University by a 4-3 score on Thursday at Bauer Field. The blast came in the bottom of the seventh and broke a 3-3 tie. Coupled with Wednesday's 10-2 victory, the 23rd-ranked Bishops were able to complete a two-game sweep of the Crusaders and win their seventh straight contest.

Capital took the early lead on Thursday with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. After two walks and a fielding error loaded the bases, a Jon Spring sacrifice fly plated the game's first run. Andy Daggett later came around to score on a Mark St. John RBI-single to left.  NCWC's Luke Williford ended the inning, however, when he gunned down the runner trying to advance to third.

Wesleyan answered with three runs in the sixth. Back-to-back singles by Travis Beausoleil and Matt Smith placed runners at first and second, while a perfectly executed double-steal moved them to second and third, respectively. Justin Batts' RBI-groundout cut the lead in half, and Williford promptly tied the game with an RBI-triple to left center. Williford later scored the go-ahead run when Zach Alexander singled up the middle.

The Crusaders battled back to tie the game with a run in the seventh on a Mike St. John sac-fly RBI, setting stage for Rahm's heroics in the bottom of the frame.

David Krasnowiecki (1-1) earned his first win of the season in relief, allowing one run and striking out three in two innings of work. Andrew Webb earned the save by retiring all six batters he faced over the final two innings.

On Wednesday, the Bishops scored eight runs over the first three innings and did not look back en route to the 10-2 victory. Batts led the offense with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate, while Jonathan Shearon (2-0) earned the win on the mound. Shearon threw six scoreless innings and struck out six.

Now 11-2 to start the season, Wesleyan head coach Charlie Long was pleased to see his team crack the national top-25 in Tuesday's first D3Baseball.com poll. The poll voters come from 25 college baseball writers, sports information directors, and media personnel from throughout the nation. The ABCA will release its first poll in March.