PICTURED ABOVE: Matt Krause collected three hits, including an eighth-inning home run.
Carol Stream, Ill. - The Thunder baseball team rallied to earn a 10-9 win against Benedictine University on Wednesday night at Lee Pfund Stadium. Wheaton trailed the Eagles 6-2 through six innings and the Thunder needed two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to overcome a 9-8 deficit. Junior
Michael Kaufman hit a walk-off single with two outs to drive in
Matt Schappell for the game-winning run.
Wheaton scored 10 runs, on 12 hits, with six Thunder errors and Benedictine scored nine runs, on 13 hits, with 12 errors. Sophomore
Nick Johnson (1-1) earned the win on the mound for the Thunder. Johnson (PICTURED LEFT) pitched one inning of scoreless relief with one walk and one strikeout.
Shortstop
Matt Krause was 3-for-5 in the game with a home run, a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Designated hitter
Andrew Laucella had a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with four RBI.
Johnny Peltz had a 2-for-4 outing with two runs scored and a RBI.
Benedictine took the early lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning and the Eagles increased their lead to 3-0 with a run in the top of the third inning. BenU added a run in the top of the fourth inning to increase its advantage to 4-0. Wheaton got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning as
Josh Kimmel drew a leadoff walk and scored on a RBI-double by Krause. Krause scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by
Kyle Mellinger to cut the Eagles' lead to 4-2.
The Eagles added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning to extend its lead to 6-2. The Thunder plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to trim the guests' lead to 6-4. Both of Wheaton's runs in the inning came on a two-run single through the right side of the infield by Laucella. The Eagles added two runs in the top of the eighth inning for an 8-4 lead.
The Thunder offense came alive in the bottom of the eighth inning with four runs to tie the game at 8-8. Krause led off the inning with a long solo home over the leftfield fence. Peltz hit a RBI-single and a Laucellla drove in a pair of runs, including the game-tying run with a single through the right side of the infield.
Benedictine regained the lead in top of the ninth inning with one run for a 9-8 lead. A Wheaton error to open the inning and a pair of walks loaded the bases. Johnson entered the game in relief for the for Thunder and after the go-ahead run scored, he induced a force out at home. Johnson struck out Benedictine's Max Oppenheimer for the second out he induced a ground out for the third and final out.
Josh Kimmel belted a triple into the gap in left centerfield to open up the bottom of the ninth inning for the Thunder. Schappell hit the ball into the outfield to drive in Kimmel for the tying run. Schappell never let up as he rounded first base and legged the hit into a double.
Kyle Mellinger and Peltz each drew a walk to load the bases. Kaufman (PICTURED RIGHT) worked the count and singled through the right side of the infield to bring Schappell home for the game-winning run.
Wheaton is now 5-11 on the year and Benedictine is 3-8 on the season. The Thunder will head to Millikin on Friday and Saturday to open conference play against the Big Blue. Friday's single nine-inning game will begin at 3:30 p.m. in Decatur.
