GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Bloomington, Ill. - The Thunder baseball team split its CCIW doubleheader with Millikin University on Saturday afternoon. Wheaton won the first game 8-5 and the Big Blue won the second game 5-3. Wheaton is now 21-17 overall and 13-7 in CCIW play. The 13 league wins this year marks a new school-record for CCIW victories in a single season, surpassing the 12 conference wins that the 2008 Thunder club earned.

Today's twinbill was moved to the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University, due to consistent rains in the Decatur area and un-playable field conditions at Millikin's Sunnyside Park. The third game of the weekend series has yet to be played and will be made up at a yet to be determined date.

Wheaton earned the 8-5 victory in the first game as the Thunder scored eight runs, on 12 hits, with three errors and Millikin scored five runs, on nine hits, committing one error. Junior starting pitcher Tim Urbanowicz earned the victory to improve his record to 8-1 on the year. In 7-1/3 innings of work, Urbanowicz allowed five runs, three of which were earned, on eight hits, striking out six batters. In earning the win, Urbanowicz tied Wheaton's single-season record for pitching victories at eight. He holds the mark along with Tom Fiddler (8-5 in 1985) and Bill Bostrom (8-2 in 1963).

Senior reliever Ed McCaskey closed out the final 1-2/3 innings of the game to earn his fourth save of the season. McCaskey held the Big Blue scoreless, allowing just one hit, with one strikeout. In earning his fourth save of the year, McCaskey took sole possession of Wheaton's single-season saves record, passing John Little (2008) and Jon Berry (2000) who each accomplished three saves in those seasons. McCaskey moved into a four-way tie for Wheaton's career saves record with four.

Junior Mark Price was 3-for-5, with a double as he scored two runs and added a RBI. Catcher Brian Whartnaby was 3-for-5, with two runs scored and a RBI. Freshman Ryan Miller was 2-for-5, with a double as he drove in two runs and scored once.

Following two scoreless innings to open the game, Wheaton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Whartnaby hit a leadoff double and he scored two batters later on a RBI-single by shortstop Brian Kolb. Wheaton scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to increase the lead to 4-0 as Miller belted a two-run double in the inning and Josh Williams hit a run-scoring single.

The Thunder added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning on a RBI-double by Price and a RBI-single from Danny Pyne to increase the Wheaton lead to 6-0. The Big Blue scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 6-3. Whartnaby hit a RBI-single in the top of the seventh inning to extend Wheaton's lead to 7-3. Miller crossed the plate in the top of the eighth inning, as the result of a Millikin error. Miller's run extended Wheaton's lead to 8-3. Millikin scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 8-5. McCaskey entered the game with two outs and runners at first and second base. He induced a pop-up on the first batter he faced to stall the Millikin rally and earn Wheaton the eventual victory.

Millikin was a 5-3 winner in the second game as the Big Blue scored five runs, on 10 hits, committing one error and Wheaton plated three runs, on seven hits, with no errors. Thunder starting pitcher Steve Dennison (3-3) took the loss in 5-2/3 innings of work. Dennison allowed five runs, on nine hits, striking out seven batters, with one walk. Junior John Little pitched 2-1/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit, with two strikeouts.

Freshman Justin Zeller was 2-for-4, with his seventh home run of the season. The Thunder centerfielder also hit a double as he drove in two runs and scored once. Sophomore Charlie Antal was 2-for-4 in the game. Kolb was 2-for-5, with a double and a run scored.

Millikin scored twice in the bottom of the first inning and added two more runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. In the top of the third inning Kolb belted a two-out double and he scored on next at-bat when Zeller followed with a double. Wheaton cut the Millikin lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning, thanks to RBI-single by Dennison. Millikin added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend its lead to 5-2. Zeller belted a two-out solo home run in the top of the seventh inning for a 5-2 Big Blue lead, but Wheaton was unable to complete the rally.