GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Matt Schappell went 2-4 in Wheaton's 5-3 loss at Aurora on Monday night.

Aurora, Ill.- The Wheaton baseball team wrapped up their regular season on Monday night with a nonconference matchup at Aurora University. The Thunder jumped out to an early lead but a three-run seventh inning game the Spartans the late edge and sent them on to a 5-3 victory. Wheaton concludes the regular season with a record of 14-25 while Aurora improved to 24-11.

Wheaton got off to a quick start in the first inning, loading the bases to lead off the game with two walks and a hit by pitch. Josh Kimmel scored the first run of the inning for the Thunder, scoring on a double play. After another walk, Michael Szalach recorded an RBI single to make it 2-0. Aurora answered with a run in the bottom of the first and another in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 2-2.

Neither team would threaten again until the Spartans rallied for three runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 5-2 lead. Jake Portugal's (PICTURED RIGHT) RBI single in the top of the eighth inning cut the lead to 5-3 but the Thunder would get no closer in falling 5-3.

Note worthy: Wheaton will face top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan University at 3 PM on Thursday afternoon in the first game of the CCIW Tournament, which will be hosted by the Titans...Illinois Wesleyan swept the season series from the Thunder in the first conference series of the season for both teams...Wheaton is making their third appearance in the CCIW Tournament in program history...Wheaton is 2-4 all-time in the CCIW Tournament...Illinois Wesleyan is 2-1 all-time against the Thunder in CCIW Tournament play...The Titans defeated Wheaton in the first round in both of Wheaton's previous tournament appearances. The Thunder defeated the Titans to reach the conference championship game in 2009.