GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Lisle, Ill. – The Thunder baseball team split a doubleheader with #21-ranked Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday at Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex. The Titans won the opener 3-2 and the Thunder won the nightcap 7-5. Wheaton is now 9-14 overall and 1-6 in conference play; while Illinois Wesleyan is 14-6 overall and 6-2 in CCIW play. The Thunder will travel to Carthage College on Wednesday for a doubleheader with the Red Men.

Illinois Wesleyan rallied to win the first game 3-2 as the Titans scored three runs, on nine hits, with one error and Wheaton scored two runs, on 11 hits, with three errors. Wheaton starting pitcher Trey Martin (3-2) took the loss in eight innings of work. He allowed three runs, with two earned runs, on nine hits, with three walks and one strikeout. Phillip Tuttle worked one inning of scoreless relief for the hosts. Freshman infielder Justin Swider was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, as he scored one of Wheaton's runs and drove in the other. Martin was 2-for-4, with a run scored. Danny Pyne was 2-for-5, with a run driven in.

The Titans took a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the second inning. Justin Swider hit a leadoff double to open the bottom of the third inning for the hosts and he scored two batters later on a RBI-single by Pyne that tied the game at 1-1. Wheaton took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Martin hit a one-out single and he scored three batters later on a double by Justin Swider. The Titans tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the top of the fifth inning. The guests took the3-2 lead with a run in the top of the eighth inning, as Titan starting pitcher Joe Sweeney earned the complete game victory, holding the Thunder hitless in the final two innings.

Wheaton closed out the three-game series with a 7-5 victory in the finale as the Thunder scored seven runs, on 17 hits, with one error and IWU plated five runs, on seven hits, with two errors. Freshman starting pitcher Evan Rahn (1-3) earned his first collegiate win in 7-1/3 innings of work. He allowed five runs, on seven hits, with two walks and two strikeouts. Rahn had a strong outing, as held the Titans hitless through the first four innings of the game. Senior Luke Ross worked 2/3 of an inning of hitless relief, with two walks and a strikeout. Senior Steve Dennison earned his second save by holding the Titans hitless in the ninth inning, with one strikeout to his credit.

Martin was 4-for-5, with a double as he drove in three runs, with a run scored. Drew Golz was 4-for-5, with a run scored. Junior designated hitter was 3-for-5, with a pair of doubles, two RBI and a run scored. Catcher Brian Whartnaby was 2-for-3, with a run driven in.

Wheaton took a 3-0 lead in the game with three runs in the third inning as Justin Zeller hit a RBI-single and Driggers drove in a pair of runs with a two-run double. The Thunder extended its lead to 6-0 with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Martin hit a two-run double and he later scored on a RBI-single by Whartnaby. Martin drove in his third run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning as his RBI-single increased the Thunder lead to 7-0. The Titans scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning, highlighted by a IWU grand slam, but Ross and Dennison closed the door on the guests to get the final five outs and secure the victory for the Thunder.

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