The Wheaton baseball team hosted Concordia University Chicago for the first Thunder home game of the 2025 season on Thursday night. The Cougars defeated Wheaton 11-5 in the evening contest under clear skies and cold conditions.

Concordia Chicago scored 11 runs, on 11 hits, committing two errors, while the Thunder scored five runs, on seven hits, with four Thunder errors. Wheaton starting pitcher Josh Ortiz worked two innings, allowing one run, on three hits, with one walk and two strikeouts. Wheaton relievers pitched seven relief innings, allowing 10 runs, including seven earned runs.

Seven different Thunder batters accounted for Wheaton's seven hits tonight. First baseman Chris Lynam hit a double for the hosts. Noah Yi, Daniel Hillyer, Nathan Hedlund, Tim Whitfield, Payton McClowry and,   Jack Gill each hit a single.

The Cougars scored one run in the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Cougars added five runs in the top of the third to increase the guests' lead to 6-0. In the bottom of the third inning, Lynam hit a double to leftfield, for Wheaton's first base hit of the game. He advanced to third base on a flyout in the next at bat and he scored on a wild pitch in the following at bat. Lynam's manufactured run cut the Cougars' lead to 6-1 after three innings.

Concordia Chicago scored a run in the top of the fourth inning, and Wheaton responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth as the guests led 7-4 after four innings. Hillyer led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to centerfield and advanced to second on a walk to James Scott. Whitfield hit a RBI-single through the left side of the infield that brought Hillyer home. Scott scored later in the inning on a CUC throwing error. McClowry drove in Whitfield with an RBI as the Thunder trimmed the Cougars' lead to 7-4.

Concordia responded with three runs in the top of the fifth inning to increase the guests' lead to 10-4. Concordia Chicago added one run in the top of the sixth inning to gain an 11-4 lead. Wheaton scored the game's final run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a RBI-single by Gill.

Wheaton hosts the Wheaton Round Robin Tournament this weekend at Lee Pfund Stadium. Wheaton's first game of the six-game tournament is tomorrow evening at 5:00 p.m. as the Thunder host St. Mary's University (Minn.).