Champaign, Ill. -- On a night in which the experience took precedent over the final score, the Wheaton baseball team got a unique opportunity to face off against a Division 1 opponent a couple of hours down the road. Wheaton put up an admirable fight, and even led their hosts through three innings, but the favored team eventually pulled away and withstood a late Thunder charge to earn a 13-5 win. Wheaton's record now sits at 3-10 heading into this weekend's invitational, but the squad will undoubtedly be boosted by tonight's test against the strongest opposition they will face all season.
Wheaton may have entered the matchup as clear underdogs, but the Thunder did not play to that label through the first few innings. Sharp fielding forced the Fighting Illini to go three-up, three-down in the bottom of the first, before the visitors took a surprise lead in the top of the second frame off of a
Jacob Snyder solo home run, his first of the season. A successful double play in the bottom half of the inning helped the Thunder solidify their impressive start. In fact, Wheaton only allowed one hit through the first three innings.
But a three-RBI home run for the hosts in the fourth gave Illinois a lead that they would maintain for the rest of the contest. The Illini blanked the Thunder for six consecutive innings and added ten additional runs of their own within that span to wrap up the victory. The top of the ninth inning saw Wheaton mount a late comeback attempt, however, as a pair of Illini throwing errors and a two-RBI triple by
Matt Nelson allowed the guests to add four runs to their tally before their D1 opponents eventually ended the game by forcing a ground out.
Playing time was generously shared in tonight's meeting, as over half of the Wheaton roster saw the field at some point.
JD Van Hook got the start on the mound for the Thunder, and the freshman gave up no runs and only one hit and one walk in three innings while also picking up a strikeout. Seven more pitchers got to try their arm against the Illini, and of this group,
David Solfelt led the team with two strikeouts.
Nate Barker earned one of his own and did not allow a hit in his inning pitched.
Ben Weaver and
Joe Klein matched Nelson and Snyder with a hit and a run each, while
Kyle Wu picked up one hit and
Matthias Haggerty reached home plate on one occasion.
Rutledge Feltel was also credited with an RBI on Wheaton's final score of the contest. Both teams committed three errors, and Illinois registered 12 hits to Wheaton's five.
