Carol Stream, Ill. - Sam Arnold's dazzling pitching performance was just what the Thunder needed on Wednesday night. The Thunder freshman dominated on the mound as Wheaton snapped its 10-game losing streak by winning the nightcap to earn a doubleheader split against Millikin University. Millikin won the opener by a score of 3-2 while Wheaton claimed game two 4-0. Millikin is now 16-17 overall and 6-13 in the CCIW. Wheaton moves to 14-18 overall and 5-12 in the conference.

Sam Arnold gave up a leadoff single to Devin Crews to start game two but stranded Crews on second to end the inning for a scoreless first inning of work. The freshman right-hander than pitched around consecutive two-out errors in the top of the second, stranding runners on first and second with a flyout. With the inning-ending flyout, Arnold started a streak of 20 consecutive Millikin batters retired that was finally brought to a close with a one-out double in the top of the ninth inning by Anthony Bryan. Bryan would become the only Big Blue runner to reach third but would not score as Arnold forced a fly out to short stop to end the game and record his first complete game and first career shutout.

Arnold's first career collegiate victory came on a seven-strikeout performance that did not include a walk or hit by pitch, collecting 11 fly outs and nine groundouts.

The Thunder offense came alive to support Arnold with a four-run fifth inning that started with a leadoff double by Seth Meyer. Meyer would score on a Nick Mailman's two-out bunt single that opened the gates for the Thunder bats. Two batters later, Mailman and Jesse Welch came in to score on Ben Brittain's single up the middle. Brittain moved to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a triple to right-center putting Wheaton ahead 4-0.

Seth Meyer led the Thunder offense with two hits and a run scored.

In the opener, Nick Johnson and Millikin's Derek Kortemeier matched zeros for the first four innings before Millikin pushed a run across in the top of the fifth inning on consecutive doubles to take a 1-0 lead. Millikin would push two more across in the top of the sixth to lead 3-0. 

Wheaton answered in the bottom of the sixth with two runs coming off a throwing error and an RBI groundout by Joel Pierce. However, Wheaton left the tying run at third inning to end the inning. The Thunder would end up stranding runners on third base in five of their nine at-bats including the bottom of the ninth inning following Evan Ogden's one-out double.

Nick Johnson took the tough-luck loss, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts in seven innings of work. Caleb Selk threw two shutout innings of relief of Johnson with two strikeouts.

Wheaton will be back in action on Friday night when the Thunder host Carroll University for the first of a three-game series with a 6 pm first pitch at Lee Pfund Stadium.