Carol Stream, Ill. - Big innings were the theme of the day on Wednesday evening as the Thunder baseball swept a doubleheader from Carroll University (14-23, 6-15 CCIW). Wheaton tallied two or more runs in an inning seven times as the Thunder offense led the way to a wins of 15-5 and 15-6 to improve to 23-12 overall and 13-8 in the CCIW. The wins moved the Thunder into a second place tie with Augustana heading into the final weekend of the regular season. The top two seeds will receive a first round bye in the CCIW Tournament. Wheaton will host CCIW-leading North Central at 6 pm on Friday for Senior Day at Lee Pfund Stadium.

Wheaton set the tone for the day in the first inning of game one of the doubleheader, batting around in the bottom of the first inning and scoring six runs on six hits highlighted by a two-run double by Jesse Welch and run-scoring doubles by Sam Reichert and Matthias Haggerty.

With Christian Bolhuis holding the Carroll offense scoreless over the first four innings, Wheaton answered the Pioneers first run with a four-run bottom of the fifth inning to lead 10-1. Carroll was able to post three runs in the top of the sixth inning, but Wheaton once again answered, scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning punctuated by a two-run single by Noah Ritchie and a two-run home run to left field by Reichert. The Pioneers were able to score one in the top of the seventh before the game was brought to a close via the run-rule.

Reichert, Haggerty, and Evan Ogden each posted three-hit games with Ogden and Ben Brittain scoring three runs apiece. Ritchie and Reichert each drove in four runs with Haggerty and Jesse Welch plating a pair. Christian Bolhuis earned the win on the mound, allowing four runs in 5.1 innings of work with two strikeouts.

After Carroll scored two runs in the first to start game two of the doubleheader, Wheaton answered with two runs in the bottom of the first after Nick Mailman led off with a triple and scored a batter later on Brett Albaugh's sacrifice fly. Clay Morrison drove in the second run of the inning by coaxing a bases loaded walk to tie the game.

Carroll retook the lead with a run in the top of the third inning off Thunder starter Alex Hanvey and added three runs off the Thunder bullpen in the top of the fourth inning to take a 6-2 lead. Wheaton responded with a six-run fourth inning, cutting the lead to one on a two-run double by Albaught and taking advantage of a trio of Carroll errors to take an 8-6 lead as the dust settled on the inning.

Christian Gibbs settled the game for the Thunder, earning the victory with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief with five strikeouts. Wheaton would extend its lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs on an RBI groundout by Reichert and a two-run triple by Haggerty. Reichert and Mailman would add two-run doubles in the bottom of the seventh inning as Wheaton extended its lead to 15-6. Jacob Cassel closed the game with five strikeouts over the final two innings of scoreless relief as Wheaton finished off the season sweep of the Pioneers.

Haggerty drove in a team-high four runs on three hits and Albaugh and Reichert each drove in three runs. Ogden added another three hits with three runs scored and Welch alos had two hits with two runs scored. Clay Morrison walked three times and scored three runs.