GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Naperville, Ill. – The Thunder baseball team earned a pair of dramatic CCIW victories on Wednesday by sweeping a doubleheader at North Central College (2-11/1-4). The Thunder (9-11/2-3) won the opener 5-4 in 10 innings and Wheaton won the second game 19-17. Today's doubleheader was originally schedule to be hosted by Wheaton on Tuesday, however, that meeting was postponed due to rain. The re-scheduled effort was shifted to North Central's Zimmerman Stadium and Wheaton will now host the remaining nine-inning game that is scheduled between the two teams on April 8 at 3 PM.

Wheaton won the opener 5-4 in 10 innings as the Thunder scored five runs, on 11 hits, committing two errors and North Central scored four runs, on eight hits, with one error. Sophomore pitcher Steve Dennison (2-1) was tremendous on the mound as he pitched a complete game in 10 innings to earn the win. Dennison scattered eight hits, allowed four runs, with no earned runs. He struck out 10 Cardinal batters and did not allow a walk.

Wheaton scored one run in the third, fourth and fifth innings, respectively, to take a 3-0 lead. Sophomore Charlie Antal led off the third inning with a single to left field and scored two batters later when Brian Kolb drove him in with a single up the middle. Junior Mark Price led off the top of the fourth inning with a single through the left side of the infield and he scored two batters later on a fielder's choice that was hit by freshman Matt Fenlason. Freshman shortstop Ryan Miller led off the top of the fifth inning with a single, he then stole a base and scored on a two-out single by Dennison.

North Central cut Wheaton's lead to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Wheaton increased its lead to 4-2 in the top of the eighth inning when Dennison, the leadoff batter of the inning struck out, but reached on a passed ball and later scored from third base on a wild pitch. North Central scored two more unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at 4-4. Neither team scored in the ninth inning, as the game went into extra innings. In the top of the tenth inning Kolb led off the inning with a single to right field and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Zeller. Following a ground out back to the pitcher on the next at-bat, Price stepped up to the plate and smashed a single through the left side of the infield that allowed Kolb to score the go-ahead run. In the bottom of the tenth inning North Central stranded the tying run at third base as Dennison left with the win in a strong pitching effort by the southpaw.

Kolb was 3-for-4, with a walk, a run scored and a run driven in. Price was 2-for-4, with a RBI and a run scored. Miller stole a base, as he and Antal both went 2-for-5 at the plate with a run scored.

Wheaton rallied on a couple of occasions to win the second game 19-17. The Thunder scored 19 runs, on 14 hits, with 2 errors and North Central scored 17 runs, on 21 hits, with three Cardinal errors. Wheaton showed patience at the plate, drawing 14 walks in the game.

Wheaton, the home team in the game which was originally scheduled to be hosted by Wheaton scored seven runs in the bottom of the first, however, North Central scored eight runs in the top of the second and second innings to take an 8-7 lead. Wheaton added seven more runs in the bottom of the second, highlighted by a Miller grand slam to regain the lead at 14-8. The Thunder added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 17-11 lead. North Central rallied with five runs off the Thunder bullpen in the top of the seventh inning to cut the Wheaton lead to 17-16 and the Cardinals added another run in the top of the eighth to tie the game at 17-17.

Wheaton scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning as Dennison scored the go-ahead run after drawing a leadoff walk and Price scored a key insurance run after reaching base on a Cardinal error. Reliever John Pohl put the Cardinals three-up-and-three-down in the top of the ninth inning to close out the game and earn the victory. Pohl (1-0) pitched 1-2/3 innings, without allowing a run or a hit.

Miller was 3-for-5, with a walk, three runs scored and four runs driven in, all on the second-inning grand slam – his first collegiate home run. First baseman Danny Pyne was 3-for-4, with a walk, three RBI and two runs scored. Catcher Brian Whartnaby was 3-for-5, with two runs scored and two more driven in. Dennison was 2-for-3, drawing three walks, with four runs scored and a RBI. Sophomore outfielder Josh Williams was 2-for-5, with a walk, three RBI and a run scored.

Wheaton will begin a three-game series with Augustana on Friday at Alexian Field in Schaumburg, Illinois at 3 PM (Live Stats). Augustana will host the doubleheader between the two teams on Saturday at noon (Live Stats).