Carol Stream, Ill. – The Thunder baseball team hosted University of Chicago for a doubleheader on Saturday at Lee Pfund Stadium. Today's games were the final non-conference games on Wheaton's regular season schedule for 2023. Wheaton closed out the twinbill with a 10-3 win. The Maroons held on for a 7-6 victory in today's first game.
 
The Thunder won game two today 10-3 as the Thunder scored 10 runs, on 16 hits, with one error and Chicago tallied three runs, on five hits, with three errors. Wheaton starting pitcher Brendan Dyer earned the win in a strong outing of six innings. Dyer allowed three runs, with zero earned runs, scattering just four hits. He struck out seven batters and walked just one. Freshman Nathan Hedlund earned the save in three innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit, with two strikeouts and one walk.
 
Ben Weaver (PICTURED LEFT) shined at the plate in the nightcap as he was 4-for-5 with a home run, scoring three runs, with two RBI. Second baseman Kyle Wu was 3-for-5, scoring twice, with an RBI. Catcher Tyler Weiner was 2-for-3 with a walk as he scored a run. Third baseman Harrison Stanton was 2-for-5 with a double, scoring one run. Shortstop Matthias Haggerty was 2-for-5 with a double, three runs scored, and two runs driven in.
The Thunder scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Two runs scored in the first on a single by Haggerty and Joe Klein drove in the third run of the inning. The hosts extended their lead to 6-0 with three more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Stanton hit a one-out double and he scored on the next at bat when Wu hit a single through the middle of the infield. Haggerty roped a double down the leftfield line two drive in two more runs.
 
Chicago scored three unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut Wheaton's lead to 6-3. Larken Lancaster hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning to drive in Joe Klein as Wheaton's lead increased to 7-3. The Thunder added three more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to account for the 10-3 final score. Weiner and Stanton hit singles to open the eighth for the Thunder. Weiner scored on a UChicago wild pitch. Weaver blasted a two-run home run over the fence in right centerfield.
 
UChicago topped the Thunder 7-6 in today's first games as the Maroons scored seven runs, on 13 hits, with two errors and Wheaton tallied six runs, on six hits, with seven errors. Starting pitcher Jared Kloth pitched six innings, allowing four runs, with just one earned run, on seven hits, with three strikeouts and two walks. Caleb Vakerkhoff pitched two innings of relief as he allowed three runs, with just one earned run, on five hits, with one walk and one strikeout. Caleb Downing tossed one inning of scoreless relief, allowing one hit, with one strikeout.
 
Designated hitter Mason Diel was 2-for-5, with a double, with a run scored and an RBI. Haggerty hit a triple for the Thunder while Klein joined Diel with a double. Stanton and Wu each contributed a single.

The Maroons scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Wheaton tallied three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-2 advantage. Diel hit a double to lead off the bottom of the second inning and he scored on an error in the next at bat. Stanton added an RBI-single and Wu drove in a run as well. Chicago scored a run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the contest at 3-3 and the guests added a run in the top of the sixth inning and another run in the top of the seventh to take a 5-3 lead.
 
The Maroons scored twice in the top of the eighth inning to increase the guests' lead to 7-3. Wheaton scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth as the hosts attempted to mount a full rally. Wu led off the bottom of the ninth with a double and Weaver drew a walk. Haggerty blasted a triple to right field two drive in both Weaver and Wu. Diel hit a single to drive in Haggerty, however, the hosts could not complete the rally.

Wheaton closes out the regular season next weekend with three games at home. The Thunder host Augustana on Friday at 3:00 p.m. Wheaton entertains Elmhurst on Saturday for a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. Saturday's matchup against the Bluejays will be "Senior Day" for the Thunder.