GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Schaumburg, Ill. – The Wheaton baseball team swept a doubleheader with Augustana on Thursday afternoon, winning both games with ninth-inning rallies. Wheaton won the first game 10-9 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. In the second game, Wheaton entered the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 11-7. However, the Thunder scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth as Justin Zeller hit a home run and senior Mark Price hit a walk-off two-run home run to win the game.

Wheaton has won 10 consecutive games and is now 15-3 on the season and 2-0 in CCIW play. Augustana, ranked 15th in Division III by D3baseball.com is now 12-4 on the year, with a 0-2 record in conference play. The two teams will conclude their three-game series on Saturday at 1 PM at Augustana's Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field in Moline, Illinois. Click here for directions to Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field.

Thunder head coach Lee Driggers noted of his team's resiliency to earn two walk-off victories today, “We have some veterans on this team who have done this before. We have rallied to win some games like Spalding earlier this year and last year against Augustana in the conference tournament. It is a reminder that you play all 27 outs and keep taking swings.” Driggers added of Wheaton's 2-0 start to its conference schedule, “We go into every conference series trying to win the series and this is a good start to get two wins in our first series.” He noted, “It is always good to take care of business early in the conference schedule. It can help take pressure off of you on down the road.”

Wheaton was a 10-9 victor in the opener, as the Thunder scored 10 runs, on 10 hits, with three errors and Augustana scored nine runs, on 11 hits, with four errors. Thunder starting pitcher Tim Urbanowicz allowed seven runs, in five innings. He allowed 10 hits, with six strikeouts and two walks. Senior John Little (1-1) earned the victory in four innings of relief. Little allowed two unearned runs, on three hits, with one walk and one strikeout.

Danny Pyne was 2-for-5, with three RBI, as he drove in the game-winning run. Senior Josh Weaver was 2-for-4, with a walk as he scored three runs and drove in two RBI and hit a key ninth-inning home run. Ryan Miller was 2-for-5, with a run scored.

Each team scored four runs in the first inning of the opening game to begin with an early 4-4 tie. Wheaton took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the third inning as Brian Kolb hit a solo home run to left centerfield. Wheaton scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase its lead to 7-4. The Vikings scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game at 7-7. Augustana scored a run in the top of the sixth inning and added another in the seventh to take a 9-7 lead. Pyne hit a RBI-single in the bottom of the seventh inning to cut the Vikings' lead to 9-8.

Wheaton still trailed 9-8 in the bottom of the ninth when Weaver blasted a home run that hit the scoreboard in left field at Alexian Field to tie the game at 9-9. Wheaton's next batter, Drew Golz reached on Viking error, advancing to second base. Pyne followed by connecting with a single through the right side of the infield to drive in Golz and give the hosts the dramatic 10-9 victory.

Wheaton won the second game of the twinbill 12-11, as the Thunder scored 12 runs, on 15 hits, with one error and Augustana scored 11 runs, on 12 hits, with one error. Thunder starting pitcher Trey Martin pitched 4-1/3 innings, allowing nine runs, on eight hits, with two strikeouts and one walk. Sophomore Matt MaLossi worked 3-2/3 innings of relief as he allowed one run, on two hits, with two walks and one strikeout. Zach Fallon earned the victory in one inning of relief as he allowed one run, on two hits.

Pyne continued his strong play, going 4-for-5, with three doubles as he scored two runs and had a RBI. Price was 3-for-5, with two doubles and the walk-off home run. Price drove in four runs and he scored twice, including the game-winning run. Kolb was 2-for-3, with two walks. Kolb hit his second home run of the day and added a double, as he had two RBI and scored twice. Junior Charlie Antal was 2-for-4, with two RBI and a run scored.

Augustana took an early 2-0 lead in the nightcap as the Vikings scored twice in the top of the first inning. Wheaton cut the Vikings' lead to 2-1 with a run in the bottom of the first inning as Miller hit a leadoff single and later scored on a double by Kolb. Each team scored a run in the third inning, as the Vikings held a 4-2 lead. Wheaton's run in the bottom of the third was the result of a solo home run from Kolb. Wheaton took its first lead of the game with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 6-3 lead. Wheaton's four-run effort in the inning was highlighted by a two-run home run from Antal, a RBI-double by Price and a RBI-single by Austin Driggers.

Augustana scored six run in the top of the fifth inning to take a 9-6 lead. The Vikings added a run in the top of the eighth to increase their advantage to 10-6. Pyne led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to leftfield and he scored on the next at-bat when Price singled to rightfield. Augustana scored a run in the top of the ninth inning to take an 11-7 lead into the dramatic bottom of the ninth inning.

Kolb drew a leadoff walk to open the bottom of the ninth inning and Justin Zeller belted a two-run home run to centerfield to cut the Vikings' lead to 11-9. Weaver reached on a Viking error, as he advanced to second base. Pyne belted a double to rightfield to score Weaver and cut the guests' lead to 11-10. Price was the next and final batter of the game he provided the heroics for the hosts with the walk-off two-run home run to give Wheaton the 12-11 win.