BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The Wilmington College baseball team was three-hit in a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Spalding University (Kentucky) at Striplin Field on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College on Friday.

The Quakers got a runner into scoring position just once in the game, and it came on the first of two Evan Kelsey hits in the sixth inning. The junior from Cincinnati hit a base knock to center field with two outs and stole second, but the threat ended when Jared Lammert struck out swinging. 

Spalding, which was picked as the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) champion by the coaches in the preseason, scored two runs in the second on one hit, an error, a walk and a hit by pitch. Wilmington starter Aaron Boster settled down after that, and departed after 6.2 innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. The Eagles would tack on two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.

Garrett Mathews earned the win for Spalding, pitching six innings with six strikeouts while Caden Krystofiak also had six strikeouts in a three-inning save. Boster took the loss for Wilmington while Luke Chappie and Trent Mendenhall both pitched in relief. 

Six of Spalding's eight hits were of the extra-base variety with Jacob Spanyer hitting a home run. Hunter Strong went 2-for-4 with an RBI. 

Wilmington will face nationally-ranked Birmingham-Southern at 1:30 p.m (EST) tomorrow (Saturday).