BOXSCORE

Lisle, Ill. – The Wheaton baseball team faced Benedictine University on Wednesday night at Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex. Wheaton scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally from an 8-3 deficit, sending the contest into extra innings. A two-run home run by Benedictine in the top of the 11th inning was enough to give the Eagles the eventual victory.

Wheaton is now 13-20 on the season. Benedictine improves to 18-12 for the year. Wheaton will begin a three-game conference series against North Park on Friday at noon in a single game against North Park at Lisle-Benedictine Sports Complex. The series will conclude on Saturday with a doubleheader at North Park.

Benedictine won tonight's matchup with 10 runs, on 17 hits, and two errors, while Wheaton plated eight runs, on 10 hits, with two errors. The Thunder drew 14 walks against Benedictine pitching on the night. Thunder freshman starting pitcher Andrew Bayer allowed two runs in six innings, on six hits, with two strikeouts. Taylor Howe pitched 1-1/3 innings of relief, allowing six runs, with two earned runs, on four hits. Phillip Tuttle worked 2/3 of an inning of scoreless relief, allowing two hits. Senior Luke Ross (0-1) took the loss in three innings of relief. Ross allowed two runs, on five hits, with three strikeouts.

Junior centerfielder Justin Zeller was 4-for-4, with two walks tonight. He hit double and drove in drove in two runs with a run scored. Ryan Miller was 2-for-3, with three walks. Miller hit a triple in the game stole three bases and scored four runs. Freshman Desmond Cato was 2-for-4, with a pair of walks. He scored a run, drove in a run and stole a base.

Wheaton took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Miller hit a leadoff triple and scored on an Eagle wild pitch. Benedictine scored a run in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 1-1. Miller drew a leadoff walk to open the bottom of third inning and scored four batters later on a passed ball to give the Thunder a 2-1 lead. Wheaton increased its lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning as Miller drew another leadoff walk and scored on a RBI double by Zeller.

Benedictine scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning and added three more runs in the top of the eighth inning to increase its lead to 8-3. Wheaton furiously rallied with five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game at 8-8. Danny Pyne hit a RBI-double to begin the rally and Zeller and Cato followed with RBI-singles. A Benedictine balk allowed Trey Martin score the fourth run of the inning, cutting the Eagles' lead to 8-7. Catcher Brian Whartnaby hit a two-out RBI single to drive in the game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. A two-run homer by the Eagles in the top of the 11th inning would be enough to give Benedictine the extra-inning victory.