PASADENA, Calif. – Caltech Baseball hosted the Prairie Wolves of Nebraska Wesleyan University on Sunday, taking an early lead and preserving it for the rest of the game behind a solid start on the mound and some big hits at the plate.

Freshman Brendan Flaherty earned the win with a solid five-inning start, allowing just two earned runs and posting six strikeouts against a hard-hitting opposition.

Fellow rookie Mark Hu put the Beavers on the scoreboard first, reaching first base on a four-pitch walk and eventually running home on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second inning. Junior Leo Jenkins singled two pitches later to bring home sophomore Garrett Knuf. The next inning, sophomore Thorsen Kristufek scored after being hit by a pitch, running home from second base on classmate Edward Speer's RBI single down the left field line to make it a 3-1 ballgame as the Beavers immediately responded to the guests' first run.

After leaving six runners on base in the first four innings, the Prairie wolves made it a one-run game with a solo home run to make it a one-run game again, but Caltech racked up three runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth. Senior Jack Warren calmly scored the Beavers' fourth run on a bases-loaded walk by junior Gautam Chawla, and then Jenkins dropped another single into centerfield to score Hu and Speer. Caltech led 6-2 after five innings.

The visitors scored one more in the top of the sixth, and the Beavers responded again as Hu connected for an RBI single, driving home the eventual game-winning run as Kristufek scored from second base.

A massive bottom of the seventh inning provided some insurance runs for Caltech as Knuf singled on a 1-2 pitch, Jenkins walked on four pitches, and then Kristufek reached after getting beaned a second time, bringing Warren to the plate with the bases loaded and two out. After working his way back in the count, Warren blasted a 2-2 pitch to left centerfield just beyond the reach of the leaping outfielder. The grand slam ignited the North Field crowd and gave the Beavers a commanding 11-3 lead.

First-year Luke Lamitina held the lead in his two-inning stint, and senior Steven Yee threw a two-inning close, each reliever allowing just one earned run each.

Head Coach Kevin Whitehead and the Beavers will be back at their home field this weekend for a two-day, three-game series against Bethesda University (Calif.). Friday's first pitch is slated for 2 p.m. ahead of a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Watch the games live at https://sciacnetwork.com/caltech.