BOXSCORE

Schaumburg, Ill. - The Wheaton College baseball team defeated Benedictine University on Wednesday afternoon, 10-9 at Alexian Field. The Thunder will open conference play on Thursday afternoon at 1 PM with a doubleheader against Augustana at Alexian Field.

With today's victory, Wheaton has won eight consecutive games and now owns a 13-3 record on the season. The current win streak by the Thunder is now the second-longest winning streak in the program's history. It trails only an 11-game winning streak put together by the 1980 Wheaton baseball team.

Wheaton scored 10 runs, on 12 hits, with an error and Benedictine scored nine runs, on 13 hits, with two errors. Freshman starting pitcher Eric Albaugh (2-0) earned the victory in six innings of work. He allowed two runs, on five hits, with three strikeouts. Sophomore Drew Golz pitched two innings of relief, allowing two runs, on two hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. Caleb Winchester pitched 2/3 of an innings, allowing five runs, on four hits. Senior Steve Noble earned the save in 1/3 of an inning. Noble allowed no runs, on two hits.

Junior Josh Williams was 2-for-3, with two RBI and a run scored, hitting his first collegiate home run. Brian Kolb was 2-for-5, with three runs scored and two RBI as he collected a double in the game. Danny Pyne was 1-for-2, with a three-run home run in the game.

Wheaton broke a scoreless tie by scoring five runs in the bottom of the third inning as Pyne hit a three-run home run to right centerfield and senior Mark Price added a RBI-single. Wheaton extended its lead to 7-0 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Kolb contributed a RBI-double. Benedictine cut Wheaton's lead to 7-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning.

Wheaton extended its lead to 10-2 as the Thunder scored three runs off of a two-run home run by Williams and a RBI-single by Kolb. The Eagles scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to cut the hosts' lead to 10-4. Benedictine attempted a furious rally, scoring five runs with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, but the Thunder closed out the game to secure the victory and extend its winning streak.