WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Faced with their first true deficit of the season, Wittenberg baseball mounted a six-run rally in the eighth inning to surprise Beloit in a 10-8 win on Tuesday, improving to 5-0 for the first time since 2003.

After Beloit scored six runs in the sixth inning, Wittenberg responded with six of their own in the eighth to ensure their undefeated status remained intact.

Down 8-4 with one out and runners on the corners, sophomore Alex Lochard (Sidney, Ohio/Sidney) got the rally started with an RBI single. Beloit's remaining three-run lead disappeared with one swing of the bat when sophomore Brandon Jordan (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca) connected for a game-tying three-run home run.

With the bases newly empty, freshman Brandon Reaman (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) singled, and freshman Zac Wilson (Eaton, Ohio/Eaton) doubled him in for the go-ahead run. Sophomore David Moore (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) punched a single through to score Wilson, and the Tigers had a 10-8 lead and their fourth straight game of 10 runs or better.

Jordan also pushed a run across in the second inning but got the rest of his offense out with the home run, going 1-for-3 in the game with a walk.

Senior Matt Hampp (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) went 3-for-5 with an RBI to bring his team-leading total to 11 on the season. He also leads the Tigers in hits (13), batting average (.619), slugging percentage (1.000) and on-base percentage (.609).

Senior Matt Rupert (Evanston, Ill./Evanston) picked up the victory and moved to 2-0 after taking over in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed just one hit and struck out four in 2 1/3 innings of work. Senior Ted Skalla (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier)pitched one inning of effective relief, while senior starter Touby Bender (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison) was solid over five innings with two runs, one earned, on four hits, four strikeouts and three walks.

The Tigers take Wednesday off before returning to the diamond on Thursday with a nine-inning game versus SUNY Cortland at 1 p.m.

John Strawn '07