BOXSCORE

Carol Stream, Ill. – The Thunder baseball team pounded out a 17-4 victory against Millikin University on Saturday afternoon at Legion Field. With today's win, Wheaton takes two games in the three-game series with Millikin (4-18/1-7). The Thunder now holds an 18-5 record this season, with a 5-2 mark in conference play. Wheaton will remain in conference play on Wednesday with a noon doubleheader at #20-Carthage.

The Thunder collected seven home runs in the game, including three round trippers by sophomore second baseman Ryan Miller. Junior outfielder Charlie Antal belted two home runs, including a grand slam. Sophomore outfielders Drew Golz and Justin Zeller also hit baseballs over the Legion Field fence in the game.

Wheaton scored 17 runs, on 15 hits, with one error and Millikin plated four runs, on eight hits, with no errors. Thunder freshman pitcher Trey Martin improved to 4-0 on the season with seven innings of work in earning the victory. Martin allowed four runs, three of those runs were earned, on eight hits, with five walks and five strikeouts in a complete game effort.

First baseman Danny Pyne was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, with three runs scored. Miller was 3-for-5, tying the school's single-game record with three home runs. The sophomore drove in five runs and he scored three times in the game. Antal was 2-for-4, with a pair of home runs, as he drove in seven runs. Thunder catcher Brian Whartnaby drew three walks and scored three times, with a RBI in the game.

Millikin scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but Wheaton responded with two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 2-2. Wheaton's runs were the result of a one-out double by Brian Kolb who scored on the next at-bat when Zeller blasted a two-run home run to straight-away centerfield. Wheaton took the lead for good with a run in the bottom of the second inning as Pyne hit a leadoff single and scored on a RBI-ground out by catcher Whartnaby.

The Wheaton offense took control of the game with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase the hosts' lead to 8-2. The fourth inning was highlighted by a deep grand slam to centerfield by Antal and on the next at bat Miller hit a solo home run to right centerfield for back-to-back round trippers.

Millikin scored a run in the top of the fifth inning, however, Wheaton plated four more runs in the bottom half of the inning to increase its lead to 12-3. The inning was highlighted by a three-run home run to centerfield by Miller.

The Thunder increased its lead to 17-3 with five more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as Wheaton added three more home runs in the inning. Golz led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run to centerfield. Later in the inning, Antal hit a three-run home run to left centerfield and on the next at-bat Miller hit his third home run of the day on a solo shot over the fence in left field. Miller's third round tripper of the game tied a Wheaton single-game record that is also held by Antal.