Fort Pierce, Fla. - The Thunder baseball team ran its season-opening win streak to five games with a 6-1 victory over Geneva (Pa.) on Monday at the Florida Coast Spring Break Tournament. The Golden Tornadoes open their season 0-1 while the Thunder move to 5-0. After adding a game to Tuesday's schedule, Wheaton will now face Western Connecticut State at 2 pm followed by a 6 pm matchup against Cairn University.
Wheaton tallied six runs on nine hits with two errors while holding Geneva to one run on four hits and four errors.
Caleb Selk earned the win for the Thunder, improving to 2-0 on the season by throwing three innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit and striking out four hitters.
Alex Hanvey started the game for Wheaton, allowing one run on three hits wile striking out eight batters and walking three.
Jacob Garrity closed the game with two perfect innings of relief.
After Wheaton stranded a pair of runners in the top of the first inning, Geneva took the lead in the bottom of the first on a wild pitch with two outs to lead 1-0. After stranding the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, Wheaton pulled even in the top of the fourth inning after an error and two hit by pitches loaded the bases and forced Geneva to go to its bullpen.
Nick Mailman greeted the bullpen with a sacrifice fly to left field plating
Luke Roudabush to even the score at 1-1.
The Thunder finally broke the game open in the top of the seventh inning when
Joel Pierce followed one-out singles by Mailman and
Brett Albaugh with a hard hit ball that led to an error allowing Mailman to score. Singles by
Ben Brittain and
Sam Reichert also brought home runs, pushing Wheaton's lead to 4-1. The Thunder would add a run in the top of the eighth inning when Mailman scored on another Golden Tornado error.
Connor Hartman capped the scoring in the top of the ninth with a pinch-hit triple scoring Reichert from first base to make it 6-1.
Nick Mailman and
Sam Reichert paced the Thunder with two hits apiece with Mailman scoring two runs and being hit by a pitch twice.
