FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The No. 19-ranked Indiana Tech baseball team defeated No. 24-ranked and regional rival Huntington, 15-9, on Tuesday evening at Warrior Field in nonconference action.
 
Tech jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the bottom of the first as they used four hits, two hits, a hit-batsman and a grand slam in the frame. Keith Tatum put the Warriors on the board with a double while Chris Gaynor and Benny Clark III drew back-to-back bases loaded walks to make it a 4-0 game. Charlie Sipe would break it open on a 1-0 count in the next at-bat with a grand slam that found its way into Concordia Lutheran Cemetery to chase Huntington starter Will Coursen-Carr.
 
The Foresters would come back to score an unearned run in the top of the second off Nick Noe, but the Orange and Black would get it back with a Matt Bandor RBI single in the bottom of the frame. The visitors would tack on runs in the fourth and fifth, but the hosts answered back with runs in the fifth and seventh to extend their lead to 11-3.
 
Tech would put up another crooked number in the eight, with Bandor smashing a homer to left center while Branson Dossen, Sipe and Glen McClain knocking in runs with singles. Huntington would make things interesting in the top of the ninth as they pushed across five runs thanks to four doubles, but Zach Reid would close the door by getting the final two outs of the game.
 
Noe picked up his second win of the season after going four innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and striking out four. Sipe finished with five RBI's while McClain went 4-5 and scored twice.
 
Tech (35-10) closes out its nonconference slate Wednesday as they take on crosstown rival Saint Francis. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. from Cougar Field.