GAME STATS 1 | GAME STATS 2 Greenville, Ill. - The Thunder baseball team wrapped up its opening weekend of action on Saturday by claiming a doubleheader split against the host Panthers of Greenville University. Greenville (2-3) took the lid-lifter of the splitbill 9-4 before the Thunder salvaged the nightcap with an 18-6 rout in an eight-inning affair to finish the weekend with a record of 1-2. Wheaton's next games will kick off a week-long residency in the Sunshine Sate when the Thunder face Wilkes University for a doubleheader on March 4 with a scheduled 11 AM first pitch in Fort Pierce, Florida.

The crooked number played a large role in Wheaton's offensive success on the day with the Thunder scoring 21 of their 22 runs in just four innings including a four-run top of the first inning in the second game. The Thunder loaded the bases in order to start the game and Matthias Haggerty cracked the scoreboard with a two-run double down the right field line to score Harrison Stanton and Kyle Wu. Joe Klein followed with an RBI-groundout to plate Ben Weaver and Jacob Snyder drove in Haggerty with a groundout to second. After a Panther run in the bottom of the first, Haggerty again came to bat with the bases loaded and delivered an RBI single to left to push the lead to 5-1.

Leading 5-2 heading into the fourth inning, Wheaton's offense turned on the fireworks with the top of the order again leading the charge. Following a leadoff walk to Stanton, Kyle Wu blasted a two-run home run to left. Three batters later, Klein connected on his second round trip of the weekend, driving in Haggerty to make it 9-2. Later in the inning, Snyder would score on a wild pitch and Larken Lancaster drove hom Jacob Rans with a single before three runs came on bases loaded walks and an additional run scored on a bases loaded hit by pitch. When the dust settled on the Thunder fourth inning, Wheaton had scored 10 runs and led 15-2. 

Greenville would stave off the run-rule with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Wheaton finished the game off with a three-spot in the top of the eighth inning which included the first collegiate runs batted in for Donovan Williams and Rutledge Feltel. Caleb Downing earned the no decision on the mound, working 4.2 innings and surrendering six runs, four earned, on four hits and five walks with four strikeouts. John McCraith tallied the win in 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, walking one batter and striking out four.

Wheaton's top four hitters in the lineup combined for seven hits, nine runs scored, and seven runs driven in. Harrison Stanton scored four times out of the leadoff spot and Haggerty drove in four runs while reaching base in all four plate appearances. Kyle Wu scored three times and drove in three runs. Joe Klein finished with four runs driven in to lead the Thunder.

All four of Wheaton's game one runs came in the top of the fourth inning with the Thunder trailing 3-0. Ben Weaver started the rally with a one-out single and came around to score two batters later on Stanton's two-run triple. Haggerty followed with a single to center to tie the game and scored two batters later on Mason Diel's two-out single. Greenville tied the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth and took control for the victory behind four two-out runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.