SLIPPERY ROCK, Pennsylvania - March 16, 2023 – Hiram faced deficits of 3-0 and 7-2, but roared back for 13 runs over the final 4 innings to win, 15-11, against Grove City on Thursday afternoon.

The 15 runs marked a season-high for the Terriers, and the 5-run deficit was the largest they've overcome in a game this year, too. The Wolverines entered the game with a 10-3 record.

Freshman Mike Midea spearheaded the offense and tied the program record with 5 hits, including 2 doubles. It's been nearly a decade since a Hiram player had 5 hits in a game.

Midea also added 6 RBI, making him the 6th different player in Hiram history to have at least 6 RBI in a single game. He joined Joe Marzano (7), Kyle Watson (6), Phillip Ward (6), Mike Protiva (6) and Kris Immel (6).

Also contributing on the offensive end were Chaisson Mars and Hal Walker Jr. with 3 hits apiece and 8 combined runs scored. Behind them were Evan Fairbanks and Connor Bansek with 2 hits apiece and 6 combined RBI.

Landin Wescott pitched in a critical point in the game to earn the win, while Jacob Kocuba did just enough in the end to earn the save over 2.2 innings of work. Hiram outscored Grove City, 13-4, from the sixth inning until the end of the game.

Midea had an early 2-run double, but Grove City was in control throughout the early stages of the game. It took a 7-2 lead through the fifth inning.

Things changed when Hiram strung together three straight RBI singles in the sixth inning, all of which came from the middle of the batting order (Fairbanks, Bansek, Midea). That production continued into the seventh inning, with Fairbanks (2-run single) and Midea (2-run double) propelling the Terriers to a 9-7 lead, its first of the game.

Another 5 runs were hung on the scoreboard in the eighth inning, with Hiram reaching base safely in 6 consecutive plate appearances. Walker Jr. (single), Bansek (double) and Midea (single) each had run-scoring hits in the frame to give the Terriers a 14-8 lead.

Kocuba did the rest of the work by keeping the lead intact; Grove City scored 3 runs in the eighth before Kocuba worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to seal the non-conference victory.

Hiram will next make its way to Wilmington, Ohio for a three-game series against the Quakers between Saturday (3 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m. and 3 p.m.).