Carol Stream, Ill. - Strong pitching performances headlined Saturday's doubleheader between the Thunder baseball team and the Millikin Big Blue. Wheaton won the opener 9-3 before the Big Blue claimed the nightcap 4-0. Wheaton moves to 12-4 overall and 2-1 in the CCIW while Millikin is 6-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The two teams will finish their three-game series on Monday with a 6 pm first pitch in Decatur.

Michael McCraith helped lead the Thunder to the game one victory with eight strong innings of work on the mound, improving to 3-1 on the season. McCraith allowed just three unearned runs on four hits while striking out six batters. Christian Gibbs pitched a flawless ninth inning to close out the game. Wheaton jumped out to the early with a second inning ambush that plated two runs in a six-pitch span on consecutive doubles by Evan Ogden and Ben Brittain and an RBI groundout by Jesse Welch two batters later.

McCraith and Millikin starter Connor Gross traded scoreless innings until Millikin took advantage of consecutive walks and an error to start the bottom of the fifth inning, leading to three unearned runs, pushing the Big Blue to a 3-2 lead. Wheaton answered with a rally in the top of the sixth inning by loading the bases with one out. Gross was able to work his way out of trouble with a pair of groundouts to keep the score at 3-2.

Wheaton answered with a big inning in the top of the seventh inning, starting with a two out, bases loaded double by Joel Pierce to push Wheaton back into the lead at 4-3, knocking Gross out of the game. Consecutive walks brought in another run before AJ Dhus unloaded the bases with a three-run double to left field to make it 8-3. Jacob Garrity's triple in the top of the eighth inning led to Wheaton's final run of the game on Noah Ritchie's RBI groundout. McCraith and Gibbs combined to hold the Big Blue without a hit over their final three at bats to close out the game.

AJ Dhus led the Thunder offense with two hits and three runs driven in. Ben Brittain and Joel Pierce also tallied two hits with two runs driven in.

Millikin starter Adam Zuk dominated on the mound in the nightcap, allowing only a second inning single to Evan Ogden before setting down the final 21 hitters he faced. Zuk finished the game with eight innings pitched and 13 strikeouts while surrendering just the one hit. Wheaton starter Sam Arnold held Millikin to just unearned runs in six innings of work but Zuk's performance was too much to overcome as Millikin claimed the nightcap 4-0.