PICTURED ABOVE: Kyle Mellinger collected three hits on Friday night against Saint Mary's

Carol Stream, Ill. – The Wheaton baseball team (6-5) opened its round robin event on Friday afternoon. The Thunder fell to Saint Mary's University (Minn.) 10-5 in the second game of the day at Lee Pfund Stadium. Saint Mary's (11-3) defeated Aurora University 12-2 in today's opener.

Saint Mary's (Minn.) scored 10 runs tonight, on 13 hits, with one error and Wheaton tallied five runs, on 12 hits with two errors. Thunder starting pitcher Michael Kaufman (1-1) worked four innings for the Thunder. He allowed seven runs, including five earned runs, on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Freshman Christian Bolhuis pitched 2-2/3 innings of relief, allowing three runs, on four hits with three walks and one strikeout. Josiah Longenecker worked 2-1/3 innings of scoreless relief. He scattered two hits, struck out five batters and walked one.

Senior infielder Kyle Mellinger was 3-for-4 with a run scored as he hit a double. Designated hitter Andrew Laucella was 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI, hitting a double. John McKenna and Jacob Zeller each hit 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Saint Mary's scored five runs in the top of the second inning to take an early 5-0 lead on the Thunder. In the bottom of the third inning Mellinger belted a hard-hit two-out single to centerfield and he scored on the next at-bat when Laucella hit a RBI-double down the rightfield line. Mellinger's run cut the Cardinals' lead to 5-1.

Saint Mary's added a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning to extend the guests' lead to 7-1. The Cardinals added a run in the top of the sixth inning and two more in the top of the seventh to increase the guests' lead to 10-1. McKenna led off the top of the ninth inning with a double to leftfield and he advanced to third on a single by pinch hitter Jon Metz. Freshman centerfielder Nick Mailman singled to drive McKenna home and he advanced Metz to second base. Zeller hustled down the first base line for an infield single to load the bases. On the next at bat, a Saint Mary's error allowed Mailman and McKenna to score and Zeller later scored on a RBI-single by Laucella to cut the Cardinals' lead to 10-5. However, Saint Mary's ended Wheaton's hopes of a rally and earned the 10-5 victory.  

The round robin event will continue tomorrow. Saturday's action will open at 11 a.m. as Cornell (Iowa) faces Saint Mary's; followed by Wheaton and Cornell (Iowa) at 2:00 p.m. and Wheaton hosting Aurora at 5:00 p.m.