Montgomery, Ala. - The Wheaton baseball team opened its 2025 season on Friday with a pair of games at the Firehouse Classic, hosted by Huntingdon College. The Thunder started the new season against Mount St. Joseph University (1-0), falling 6-1 to the Lions. In the second game of the day for the 'Orange and Blue', Emory University (4-3) edged the Thunder 3-2. Wheaton concludes its participation in the event tomorrow at noon against the host Hawks of Huntingdon College (3-3).
Mount St. Joseph topped Wheaton this afternoon in the season opener for both teams, 6-1. The Lions scored six runs, on eight hits, with one error. Wheaton tallied one run, on two hits, with two errors. Thunder senior Jared Kloth started the game on the mound for the Thunder with six innings of work as he allowed five runs, including four earned runs, on six hits, with four walks and three strikeouts. Sophomore David Levengood pitched two innings of relief as he allowed one earned run, on two hits. Freshman Billy Kessler made his collegiate debut with one inning of scoreless relief as he allowed no hits.
First baseman Chris Lynam hit one double. Freshman right fielder James Scott hit a single in his first collegiate at bat.
The Lions scored a pair of runs in the top of the third inning to break a scoreless tie. MSJ added a run in the top of the fourth to gain a 3-0 lead. Junior Nathan Hedlund drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning and he scored three batters later on an infield groundout by Noah Yi. Hedlund's run cut the Lions' lead to 3-1 after four innings. Mount St. Joseph added two runs in the sixth inning and another run in the eighth to account for the 6-1 final score.
Emory rallied to defeat Wheaton 3-2 in today's second game. The Eagles scored three runs, on seven hits, with one error and Wheaton tallied two runs on two hits, with zero errors. Sophomore starting pitcher Alex Bagley tossed five scoreless innings. He scattered six hits, with six strikeouts and two walks. Joshua Liu pitched one inning of relief, allowing two runs, with one hit and three walks. Jack Lindsay pitch an inning of scoreless relief. JD Van Hook pitched two thirds of an inning of relief as he allowed one run, on three walks, with two strikeouts. Senior Sean Smith pitched 1/3 of an inning for the Thunder.
Sophomore Ryan Cartwright and Yi each collected singles to account for Wheaton's two hits in the game. Designated hitter Tim Whitfield drew three walks, scored one run and stole a base.
The Thunder scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie. Freshman Braden Engel drew a bases loaded walk to drive in Whitfield who had reached earlier on a one-out walk. Yi walked in the at bat after Whitfield and he scored three batters later on an infield groundout by Daniel Hillyer. The runs by Whitfield and Yi gave Wheaton a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles scratched across one run in the bottom of the sixth inning to trim Wheaton's lead to 2-1. Emory mustered the game-tying run in a one-hit bottom of the seventh inning to tie the contest at 2-2. Emory drew a bases loaded hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring the game-winning run home.
