PICTURED ABOVE: Anderew Laucella's three-run triple broke a late tie in game two of Wheaton's doubleheader split against Gordon.

Winter Haven, Fla. - The Thunder baseball team began its annual Spring Break trip by splitting a doubleheader against Gordon College on Saturday afternoon. Home runs proved costly for the Thunder as Gordon (1-3) scored all of their runs via the long ball in a 5-1 game one victory. Gordon relied on the long ball again in game two, scoring three of its six runs on a pair of home runs, but Wheaton was able to hold off the late Scots charge for a 7-6 victory in the nightcap. Wheaton improved to 2-3 overall this season with the victory. The Thunder will continue their week long stay in the Sunshine State with a 9:30 AM (EST) matchup with Loras College on Monday.

Wheaton took an early 1-0 lead in the first game by manufacturing a run in the top of the third inning. Josh Kimmel walked with one out and moved first to third on an infield single by Matt Schappell. Schappell stole second before Peter Newman gave the Thunder the lead with an RBI groundout. Gordon looked to answer in the bottom of the third with consecutive singles but an aggressive throw from Johnny Peltz in right field to JD Carpenter at first base, picked off the Scots runner retreating to the bag for the second out of the inning and Josh Arevalo slammed the door on the rally by enducing a groundout.

The game swung in the bottom of the fourth inning when a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with two outs for Gordon. Jeremy Jackson deposited the first pitch he saw over the left-center field fence to give the Scots a 4-1 lead. Gordon would add a run to their lead with a leadoff home run by Alonzo Martinez in the bottom of the fifth to account for the final 5-1 spread.

Wheaton jumped out to a lead again in the nightcap of the doubleheader, when Kimmel came around to score on an RBI single by Matt Krause. Gordon answered with a run in the top of the second but Wheaton regained the lead when Andrew Laucella scored on a two-out error to give Wheaton a 2-1 edge. A leadoff home run in the top of the fourth tied the game at 2 for the Scots, a tie which would last for just an inning and a half.

Kyle Mellinger started the Thunder rally in the bottom of the fifth with a one-out single to right. Newman followed with a single through the right side and Peltz (PICTURED RIGHT) loaded the bases with a single through the left side. After a fly out, Laucella came up with the big hit with a line drive to deep right field that rolled the fence allowing the bases to clear and Laucella to motor around with a triple, making it 5-2 in favor of the Thunder.

Gordon would not go away and cut the lead back to one with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the sixth. Wheaton pushed across another two runs in the bottom of the sixth without hitting the ball out of the infield. A leadoff walk to John McKenna and a hit by pitch of Kimmel. Krause's sacrifice bunt was thrown into left field, allowing McKenna to score. After a walk to Mellinger to load the bases, Newman laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to plate Kimmel, giving Wheaton a 7-4 lead. A one-out, two-run home run for Gordon cut the lead to one, but Peter Moran was able to shut the door for his second save of the season.

John Schmitz earned the win on the mound for the Thunder, surrendering three runs in five-plus innings with one walk and four strikeouts. Moran earned the save, giving up three runs in two innings with one walk and one strikeout. With his save, Moran tied the Wheaton career record for saves with six.

Wheaton will face Loras College at 9:30 AM (EST) on Monday morning, in Winter Haven, Florida.