GAME STATS Carol Stream, Ill. - The Thunder baseball dropped the first game of a split doubleheader on Saturday at Lee Pfund Stadium. Despite playing a conference opponent, Wheaton's 14-4 loss to Elmhurst University will not be reflected in the conference standings as the game was played as a nonconference matchup. Wheaton will cap its weekend this evening when the Thunder host St. Norbert College at 5 pm.

Wheaton's four runs came on five hits with one defensive error. The Bluejays played 14 runs on eight hits with one error while capitalizing on eight walks.

The big inning proved costly for the Thunder in the defeat as Elmhurst struck for runs in only three innings but combined for 13 of their 14 run in the first and fifth innings. Elmhurst took advantage of control issues by Wheaton starter Caleb Downing, taking advantage of five walks to plate five runs on just one hit in the top of the first inning. The Bluejays added a run in the top of the third inning to lead 6-0, but Graham Core manufactured a run single-handedly in the bottom of the fourth after a leadoff single. Core advanced to second base on a wild pitch before stealing third base and coming into score on a throwing error contesting his stolen base.

Elmhurst put the game out of reach in the top of the fifth inning with an early three-run home run before a single, two walks and a hit by pitch set the stage for a grand slam to push the lead to 14-1. Wheaton would scratch for a run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Clayton Moore singled home Luke Roudabush. Jacob Snyder led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single and later came around to score on a wild pitch before Cale Lewis scored on a single by Kyle Wu to account for Wheaton's final run.