GAME 1 BOXSCORE

GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Kenosha, Wis. – The Thunder baseball team split a key CCIW doubleheader at Carthage College on Wednesday afternoon. Carthage (14-9/6-3 CCIW) won the first game 11-1; however, Wheaton was a 14-5 victor in the nightcap. Today's split of the doubleheader combines with an 11-1 victory over Carthage last Wednesday to give Wheaton a 2-1 edge in the key series against the perennial CCIW power, Red Men.

Wheaton, ranked 24th in Division III by D3baseball.com is now 19-6 on the year and 6-3 in CCIW play. The ranking that Wheaton achieved from D3baseball.com earlier this week marks the first national ranking from the website for the program. Wheaton will open a three-game series with Illinois Wesleyan on Friday with a 5 PM contest against the Titans at Alexian Field in Schaumburg. Wheaton and Illinois Wesleyan will conclude the series on Saturday with a noon doubleheader at Horenberger Field in Bloomington, Illinois.

Wheaton picked up the 14-5 victory in the second game as the guests scored 14 runs, on 21 hits, with no errors and Carthage had five runs, on 15 hits, with three errors. Thunder starting pitcher Eric Albaugh improved his record to 4-0 with 7-2/3 innings of work to earn the win. Albaugh allowed five runs, on 14 hits, with six strikeouts and no walks allowed. Sophomore Matt MaLossi pitched 1-1/3 innings of scoreless relief to close out the game for the guests. MaLossi allowed one hit in his effort.

Josh Weaver was 4-for-7 in the game, with a home run, five RBI and two runs scored. Ryan Miller, Brian Kolb, Justin Zeller, Drew Golz and Danny Pyne each had three hits for the Thunder.

Wheaton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in the nightcap. Consecutive two-out-singles by Justin Zeller and Josh Weaver setup a RBI single by Golz who drove a single to centerfield that brought Zeller across the plate.

Wheaton's lead increased to 3-0 in the top of the third inning with a pair of runs. Zeller opened the scoring in the inning when he blasted his seventh home run of the season, over the centerfield fence. A RBI-single by Danny Pyne later in the third extended Wheaton's lead to 3-0. A solo home run by Carthage cut Wheaton's lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third inning.

Wheaton increased its lead to 6-1 in the top of the fourth with three runs. Brian Kolb, Golz and Pyne all hit RBI-singles in the inning to drive in Wheaton's three runs. Carthage plated a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 6-2. The inning ended when rightfielder Charlie Antal hit the cutoff man and threw out a Carthage runner at third base for the third out in the inning.

Wheaton increased its lead to 9-2 with three runs in the top of the seventh inning as senior Josh Weaver belted a three-run home run over the centerfield fence in the top of the seventh. Carthage hit a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to cut the Thunder leas to 9-3.

Wheaton added three runs in the top of the seventh to increase its lead to 12-3. Josh Weaver hit a two-run single to highlight the scoring in the inning. Wheaton plated two unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning to account for the 14-5 final score.

Carthage won the opening game of the twinbill, 11-1. The Red Men scored 11 runs, on seven hits, with one error and Wheaton plated one run, on seven hits, with four errors. Thunder starting pitcher Jimmy McDonald (1-1) took his first loss of the season in 6-1/3 innings of work. McDonald allowed seven runs, six of them earned on six hits, with five walks and two strikeouts. John Pohl pitched one inning of relief, allowing three runs, two of them earned, with three walks and one strikeout. Steve Noble faced three batters in the seventh inning, allowing one run, with one hit and two walks,

Wheaton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as sophomore Drew Golz hit a one-out single and advanced to third base on a double by Danny Pyne. On the next at bat, Trey Martin grounded out to drive in Golz. That run would be the final one of the game for the Thunder, as Carthage scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-1 lead. Carthage extended its lead to 8-1 with four runs in the bottom of the sixth and the Red Men added three runs in the bottom of the seventh to end the game on the 10-run rule in an 11-1 victory.