BOXSCORE

Lisle, Ill. – The Thunder baseball team dropped its home opener on Thursday afternoon, falling to Judson University 10-7 in 10 innings. Judson scored 10 runs, on 16 hits, with two errors and Wheaton plated seven runs, on 11 hits, committing two errors. Wheaton is now 6-5 on the year, while Judson improves to 14-4 overall. The Thunder will host Dominican University on Saturday at 1 PM at Benedictine University-Lisle Sports Complex. Thunder fans can follow Saturday's game with a live audio webcast on the Wheaton College Athletic Department Audio feed on UStream at this LINK.

Judson scored four runs in the top of the first inning this afternoon to jump out to a 4-0 lead. In the bottom of the third inning, Ryan Miller hit a leadoff single to centerfield and was followed by a double from Danny Pyne to send Miller to third base. Miller reached on the next at-bat when a Trey Martin sacrifice fly brought him home to cut the Eagles' lead to 4-1. Judson added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 6-1.

The Wheaton offensive rallied with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to trim the guests lead to 6-5. Pyne led off the bottom of the fifth for the Thunder with a single and he scored on the next at bat as Martin belted a double to centerfield. Junior Justin Zeller hit a two-run home run to left field and junior Drew Golz followed with another home run to leftfield on the very next at bat.

Pyne was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning and two batters later Zeller hammered another long two-run home run to leftfield to give the Thunder a 7-6 lead. Judson scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the contest at 6-6. The Eagles scored three runs in the top of the tenth inning to pull away from the Thunder and earn the victory.

Golz was the starting pitcher for the Thunder as he worked five innings. The junior allowed six runs, with three earned runs, on nine hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. Freshman reliever Taylor Howe pitched four strong innings of relief as he allowed one unearned run, on three hits, with four walks and six strikeouts. Evan Rhan (0-2) took the loss in one inning of relief as he allowed three runs, on four hits, with two strikeouts.

Zeller was 4-for-4, with a walk. He belted two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored. Pyne was 2-for-5, with a double as he scored two runs. Shortstop Ryan Miller was 2-for-6, with a run scored.