PICTURED ABOVE: Nick Mailman doubled twice in Wheaton's 12-1 victory over Illinois Wesleyan on Thursday afternoon.

Bloomington, Ill. - An aggressive Thunder offense helped lead the Thunder baseball team to a 12-1 run-rule victory in the opener of a three-game series against Illinois Wesleyan. Wheaton scored three runs in the top of the first inning and broke the game open with eight more runs in the top of the third inning en route to improving to 12-9 overall on the season and moving to 3-3 in the CCIW. The Titans fall to 11-8 overall and 2-4 in conference action. Wheaton and Illinois Wesleyan will conclude their doubleheader on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 pm at Lee Pfund Stadium.

Wheaton scored 12 runs on 11 hits on Thursday. Michael McCraith (PICTURED RIGHT) was dominant on the mound, earning his third win of the year by limiting the Titans to one run on four hits over seven innings of work while walking five and striking out 11 batters. Braden Miller was handed his first loss for the Titans, surrendering 11 runs, 10 earned, over four innings of work.

A two-out hit by pitch to Ben Brittain started Wheaton's first inning rally, sparking a three-run outburst. Two batters later, Evan Ogden lined a single into center field to plate Brittain with the first run of the game. Ogden quickly stole second, drawing an errant throw from the catcher, which allowed Peltz to trot home from third base. After Ogden also stole third base, Clay Morrison lined a single to left-center field to plate the third run of the inning.

After the Thunder stranded two runners in the top of the second, Wheaton exploded for eight runs in the top of the third inning. Graham Core struck the first big blow of the inning, doubling to deep left center field to drive home Joel Pierce and Clay Morrison. Nick Mailman followed with a double of his own, plating Core and Jacob Garrity and pushing the lead to 7-0. Jesse Welch took advantage of a hanging curveball to drive home Mailman with a single to left and later scored on a wild pitch. Pierce delivered the final blow of the inning with a double down the left field line, scoring Brittain and Peltz to make it 11-0. When the dust settled, Wheaton sent 12 batters to plate, connecting on seven hits and taking advantage of one walk and one hit by pitch.

The Titans found their only run of the game in the bottom of the third inning, capitalizing on a hit by pitch and three walks by McCraith to push a run across. McCraith side stepped further damage with a big strikeout to end the inning and strand the bases full of Titans. Wheaton's final run came in the top of the seventh inning when Mailman drew a leadoff walk and moved around the bases with the help of three wild pitches.

All nine offensive starters recorded a hit or scored a run in the rout in a balanced offensive performance. Nick Mailman doubled twice on the day, driving in two runs and scoring two runs. Johhny Peltz and Evan Ogden also scored twice with Ogden also stealing two bases. Joel Pierce had two hits and drove in two runs and Clay Morrison also tallied a pair of hits.