Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Auburndale, Fla. – The Wheaton College baseball team wrapped up its spring break trip to Florida with a doubleheader split versus Ripon College on Monday afternoon. The Thunder won the first game 9-2 and Ripon won the second game 6-3.

The Thunder ran its record to 5-3. The Red Hawks are now 3-1 on the year.

Both teams suffered through adverse conditions, as 20-30 MPH winds constantly whipped through the fields all day. The gusts blew in and across to right field and hampered the pitchers and fielders significantly throughout both games.

Brian Kolb opened the scoring with an RBI single in the third inning. The Thunder then broke the game open with five runs in the fifth inning and three more runs in the sixth inning.

That was all the offense that Steve Dennison would need. The junior lefty twirled a gem on the mound. In six innings of work, Dennison allowed four hits, two runs (one earned) and two walks while striking out eight.

Matt MaLossi closed out the game with a final inning of scoreless relief.

The Wheaton offense scored nine runs on nine hits, led by Kolb who went 4-for-4 with three RBI. Justin Zeller batted 1-for-2 with three RBI while Josh Weaver went 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Ripon's Bob Bruce took the loss in five innings. He allowed nine hits, nine runs (seven earned), four walks and one strikeout.

The second game of the doubleheader belonged to Kurt Roeder. The Red Hawks righty starting pitcher kept the Thunder hitters off balance all game.

Wheaton got all three of its runs in the second inning, thanks to a pair of Ripon errors. Kolb, Danny Pyne and Ryan Miller all had one RBI each to put the Thunder back up 3-2.

But Ripon countered with two runs in the third inning and added two insurance runs in the fifth inning to wrap up the scoring.

Tim Urbanowicz took the loss on the mound. The senior worked five innings, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits with five walks and two strikeouts. John Pohl threw two innings of relief as he walked two and struck out three.

Roeder earned the complete-game victory. In seven innings, he limited Wheaton to four hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

The Thunder return to action on Friday and Saturday with a three-game series at Spalding University.