Game 1 Box

Game 2 Box

Elgin, Ill. - In their first games back in Illinois, the Wheaton College baseball team lost a doubleheader to Judson University 8-7 and 12-11 on Tuesday.

The Thunder fell to 5-6 on the season after returning from their nine-game spring break trip to Arizona.

The first game saw Wheaton's offense jump out to a 7-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Justin Zeller, Josh Weaver and Brian Whartnaby hit consecutive RBI singles to build the five-run lead in the inning.

However, the Eagles came back with three runs of their own in the inning to keep it close. In the bottom of the seventh, Judson loaded the bases with no outs and pushed across two runs to force extra innings and then won it with a sacrifice fly in the eight.

Brian Kolb, Ryan Miller, Danny Pyne and Zeller all had two hits each in the game. Zeller also added three RBIs. Ed McCaskey took the loss on the mound in 1-1/3 innings of relief.

Game Two quickly turned into a slug fest as Judson scored eight runs in the first three innings. But Wheaton kept pace by scoring in every single inning except the first. The Thunder rallied to take leads of 9-8 and 11-10 in the fifth and sixth innings.

Wheaton tied the game at 11 in the seventh inning and had the go-ahead run thrown out at the plate. In the bottom half of the inning, Judson won the game by scoring after a wild pitch and an error brought the runner in from second base.

Kolb and Charlie Antal both tallied three hits and two RBIs for Wheaton's offense, which banged out 18 hits in the game. Steve Dennison, Miller and Weaver all had two hits and two RBIs each. Caleb Winchester took the loss in one inning of relief pitching.

In the doubleheader, Weaver (PICTURED) reached base eight out of his nine trips to the plate. He went 3-for-4 with five walks.

The Thunder continue their season with a Friday doubleheader at Alexian Field in Schaumburg against Dominican University at 1 PM.