Box Score FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Indiana Tech baseball team smashed two home runs to back right-hander Aaron Carroll, who earned his first win of the season as the Warriors defeated crosstown rivals, University of St. Francis, 9-4 at Warriors Stadium on Wednesday night.

It was a rough start for the sophomore from Carrollton, Texas as one hit and four walks plated two runs for the Cougars (14-26), but a pair of two-out singles and an error in the bottom of the frame brought home the first run for the Warriors (24-19-1) to cut the deficit in half.

Carroll then completed a clean second and was handed a lead in the bottom of the inning as Derek Morgan and Wes Darrow each drew walks and Justin Kalusa then sent the first pitch he saw onto Anthony Blvd. for a 4-2 lead.

Carroll worked around a leadoff walk in the fifth and a one-out, two-run home run from Brian Hakes in the bottom of the frame highlighted a four-run inning for the Warriors. Alex McKinstry doubled and Tyler Denniston walked and both came around to score as the Cougars leftfielder dropped a fly ball off the bat of Darrow, extending the lead to six, 8-2.

USF cut the lead in half with two runs on four hits in the seventh, but Connor McClaughlin induced an inning-ending fly out to strand two runners and quell the rally.

After a perfect inning from Marc Brandenburg in the eighth, the offense added their final run of the contest. Romer Portes led off with a single and a Jacob Dunnichay hit-by-pitch and Hakes bunt single loaded the bases with none out. McKinstry then delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Portes for the 9-4 victory.

Carroll (1-0) got the win as he allowed just two runs on three hits over five innings. McLaughlin allowed two runs on four hits in two innings of relief while Brandenburg and Jacob Koehring combined to allow just one hit in two innings.

Hakes highlighted the Warriors 11 hit-attack as he finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Portes and Dunnichay each recorded two hits and both scored a run as every Warriors starter touched home in the contest.

Tech returns to Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play on Friday, Apr. 25 as they host Cornerstone for the first two games of the four-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.