A former Washington Demon baseball player helped the Cornell College Rams (6-6 overall) even their overall record on the diamond this past weekend. The Rams traveled to Chicago for a single game versus Aurora University Friday and a pair of games against Dominican University on Saturday.
Sophomore first baseman Walker Breard came to the plate 15 times during the three-game stretch, reaching base safely seven times. Breard, a 2014 Washington graduate, drove in an important insurance run against Aurora University. Breard connected on a ninth inning double, his only hit of the game, driving in the final run to help the Rams go up 5-1. Aurora stormed back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring three runs on two hits, and one fielding error, and had the bases loaded with two outs. Rams relief pitcher Kenny Capesius struck out the final batter to claim a 5-4 victory and ended Cornell’s three game losing streak.
Breard’s bat was a factor again in the Rams’ doubleheader versus Dominican University. He was responsible for 20 percent of the Rams scoring in a 10-6 game one victory. Breard reached base on a field error in the fifth inning, coming around to score one of the Rams’ three unearned runs in the frame for a 5-2 lead. Dominican took their only lead in the top of the sixth inning, driving in four runs on two hits and an error, overtaking the lead, 6-5. The Rams countered in the bottom of the sixth with two runs on a pair of hits to take a 7-6 lead into the seventh inning. Breard drove in a run on an eighth inning single, part of another three run inning, helping extend the Rams’ lead to 10-6. Dominican scattered two hits in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to score for a 10-6 final score.
Breard’s offensive presence was felt the most in game two Saturday versus Dominican University, going five for five at the plate and was a triple away from the cycle in an 8-0 shutout victory. He led off the game with a single in the top of the first inning. Breard smacked a two RBI double in a third inning plate appearance, scoring a run on an error in a three-run stretch. He reached base again in the fifth inning on a single. Breard showed off his power in the sixth inning, blasting a two-run home run over the right field fence. He concluded his day with a single to center field in the eighth inning. The Rams outhit Dominican University 15 to 2.
The Rams are now on a three-game winning streak, improving their overall record to 6-6. Cornell will host their first home game of the season on Wednesday, hosting the Iowa Wesleyan Tigers (4-7 overall).