DePauw baseball moves to 15-3 with sweep of Panthers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Kyle Thompson's two-out, two-run homer with a full count in the top of the ninth lifted DePauw to a 7-6 victory and a four-game series sweep over Birmingham-Southern.

The Tigers improved to 15-3 overall and 4-0 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, while the Panthers dropped to 10-12 overall and 3-5 in the SCAC. DePauw is off to the best start in school history since a 17-3 begining in 1996.

DePauw took a 1-0 lead on Thompson's RBI double in the second before the Panthers took a 2-1 lead Jack Gavin's run-scoring fielder's choice in the fourth tied the score and the Tigers added two more in the sixth on Gavin's single and a two-out infield error.

The Tigers made it 5-2 in the seventh on Jon Newman's sacrifice fly, but the Panthers tied the contest in the bottom of the seventh when Sam Hill scored from third on a wild pitch and Darby Weppner clubbed a two-run homer. Birmingham-Southern took the lead in the eighth on Reed Tuttle's single.

In the top of the ninth, Mike Stout led off with a single and two outs later Thompson sent the eventual game winner out of the park in right field.

DePauw totaled 15 hits with Stout and Thompson each collecting three with Matt Kleine, Newman, Gavin and Eric Reese finishing with two each. Higginbotham had four of the Panthers' 12 hots, while Weppner added two.

Derek Bryant improved to 3-0 with the relief win, while Paul Rodenhouse collected his third save after hurling a scoreless ninth. Alex Goodsell suffered the loss and dropped to 2-4.

DePauw travels to 20-4 and 10th-ranked Piedmont for a Tuesday eveing contest. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

At Birmingham-Southern

DePauw 010 102 102 -- 7 15 1

Birm.-South. 002 000 310 -- 6 12 2

Gerlach, Bryant (7), Rodenhouse (9) and Gavin; Bianchi, Lilly (6), Goodsell (8) and Hill.

W -- Bryant (3-0).

L -- Goodsell (2-4).

Sv -- Rodenhouse (3).

2B -- Stout, Thompson (DPU), Higginbotham, Mayes (BS).

HR -- Thompson (DPU), Higginbotham, Weppner (BS).

SB -- Reese (DPU).