PICTURED ABOVE: Clay Morrison hit a two-run double for the Thunder on Wednesday at Millikin.

Decatur, Ill. - Millikin (13-12, 3-8 CCIW) gained an early lead and never trailed on Wednesday night in a 14-4 victory by the Big Blue over the Wheaton Thunder baseball team (13-11, 4-5 CCIW). 

Millikin scored 14 runs, on 20 hits with three errors and the Thunder tallied four runs, on six hits, with four errors. Thunder starting pitcher Alex Hanvey (1-2) took the loss in three innings of work. Hanvey allowed seven runs, on nine hits, with one strikeout and one walk. Jacob Cassel allowed three runs, including two earned runs on three hits, in two innings of relief. Caleb Selk pitched one inning of scoreless relief, scattering two hits, allowing one walk, with one strikeout. Luke Kram also worked an inning of scoreless relief, allowing one hit, with one strikeout. AJ Dhus pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowing four runs, on five hits, with two walks.

Clay Morrison drove in a pair of runs, with an RBI each for Joel Pierce and Cale Lewis. Morrison and Seth Meyer each hit a double for the Thunder. Ben Brittain, Lewis, Pierce and Graham Core each contributed singles for the guests.

Millikin scored twice in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to a 2-0 lead. The Big Blue added three runs in the bottom of the third inning to extend the hosts' lead to 5-0 and put five more runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning for a 10-0 lead. 

Wheaton scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run double to right field by Morrison that cut the Millikin lead to 10-2. Lewis and Pierce each tallied RBI-singles in the top of the seventh inning as Wheaton trimmed the Millikin lead to 10-4. Millikin secured the victory via the run-rule with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to account for the 14-4 final score. 

Wheaton faces Carthage in a three-game series this weekend. The series opens on Friday at Pfund Stadium in Carol Stream with a 6:00 p.m. first pitch.