GAME STATS Bloomington, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan scored a key eighth inning run to defeat Wheaton 3-2 on Friday in the opening game of the 2013 CCIW Baseball Tournament on Friday. The Thunder will play in an elimination game on Friday at 3 PM at Illinois Wesleyan's Jack Horenberger Field. Wheaton is now 14-26 on the year.

Illinois Wesleyan (30-10) scored three runs, on 11 hits, with no errors and the Thunder scored two runs, on five hits, with one error. Thunder starting pitcher Michael Kaufman (6-2) took the loss in eight innings. He allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on 11 hits, with nine strikeouts and two walks. IWU starting pitcher Matt Hart worked one inning, allowing two runs, on three hits. Jeff Johnson (7-0) picked up the win in eight innings of sterling relief. Johnson held Wheaton scoreless on two hits, with seven strikeouts and one walk.

Five different batters scattered singles to account for Wheaton's five hits in the game. Matt Schappell, Kyle Mellinger, Michael Szalach, John Jensen-Johnson and Matt Krause each hit singles for Wheaton.

The Thunder scored two runs in the top of the second inning. Schappell hit a one-out single and advanced to second when Phil Tuttle was hit by a pitch. Schappell stole third base and scored on a Justin Swider sacrifice fly. Michael Szalach connected with a RBI-single to right centerfield for Wheaton's 2-0 lead. The Titans countered with two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the contest at 2-2. Kauffman got out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the second inning to keep the contest tied at 2-2. The Thunder lefty stranded two base runners in the third inning maintaining the 2-2 tie.
 
In the bottom of the eighth inning, The Titans collected a pair of one-out singles followed by a Thunder error to load the bases with one out. Illinois Wesleyan scored one unearned run to give the hosts their first lead of the game at 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning.