Lookout Mountain, Ga. – The Wheaton Thunder baseball team (1-1) opened its 2026 season on Friday with the first two games of a four-game series at Covenant College (4-1). Today's doubleheader concluded with a dramatic 17-13 Thunder victory in an eight-inning second game. The win in the nightcap is one of the largest comebacks in Wheaton baseball history as the Scots led the guests 10-3 through the first four innings. Covenant opened the day with an 8-6 victory in today's first game.

The Thunder won today's second game 17-13 in eight innings as the Thunder scored 17 runs on 17 hits, with three errors. Covenant tallied 13 runs, on 14 hits, with zero errors. Freshman Jamin Van Grouw started the second game on the mound and allowed six runs, including three earned runs, four hits, with four walks and four strikeouts. Austin Eilmes worked 1/3 of an inning as he allowed four earned runs, on four hits. Jack Mazurowski pitched 2-2/3 innings of excellent relief as he scattered two hits and struck out five Scots' batters. Freshman reliever Jonah Mouton (1-0) earned the win in two innings of relief as he allowed three runs, including two earned runs, with two strikeouts and no walks allowed.
James Scott was 4-for-4 with a double in the nightcap as he scored three runs. Tyler Burr was 4-for-5 with a triple. He drew a walk, scored three times and drove in two runs. Will Clegg was 3-for-5, with a double and a clutch three-run home run that played a key role in Wheaton's seven-run seventh inning. Clegg scored three times and drove in six runs in the game.

Wheaton jumped out to a 3-0 lead as the guests scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Burr led off the game with an infield single, and he scored three batters later on a RBI-single by Clegg. Scott followed Burr with a single and he was driven in by Charlie Scofield and Chris Lynam drove in Wheaton's third run in the inning when Jack Gill scored on Lynam's fielder's choice. The Scots responded with three runs in the bottom of the first inning to tie the contest at 3-3.
Covenant scored once in the bottom of the second and added two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 6-3 lead after three innings. The Scots scored for the fourth-consecutive inning as they added four runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead to 10-3.

Clegg led off the top of the fifth inning with a double and scored three batters later on a RBI-single by senior Nathan Hedlund. Clegg's run cut the Scots' lead to 10-4. Burr hit a one-out single in the top of the sixth and was driven in by Clegg three batters later to trim the Covenant advantage to 10-5.

Wheaton's offense broke out with seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 12-10 lead. Catcher Ryan Cartwright collected Wheaton's first hit of the inning with a RBI-double that drove in pinch runner Hudson Gutwein. Two batters later, Burr belted a triple to centerfield that drove in Hedlund and Cartwright. Gill hit a single to rightfield that drove in Burr and advanced Scott to third base. Clegg stepped up to the plate and blasted a majestic home run over the left field fence that brought Gill and Scott home and gave Wheaton the 12-10 lead. The Scots did not quit, as the hosts tallied two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning with a home run of their own to send the contest to extra innings tied at 12-12.

Two Thunder batters were hit by a pitch in the top of the eighth and Gill drew a walk to load the bases. Clegg was hit by pitch to bring pinch runner Scott Sanders home for a 13-12 Thunder lead. Scofield followed in the next at bat with a bases clearing double to centerfield that increased Wheaton's lead to 16-12. Caleb Schauer capped the Thunder scoring with a RBI-single to rightfield that drove in Scofield for a 17-12 Thunder lead. Covenant mustered one run in the bottom of the eighth, but Moulton struck out the final Scots batter of the game as Wheaton earned the 17-13 victory.

Covenant won game one, 8-6 as the Scots scored eight runs, on six hits, with one error, and Wheaton tallied six runs, on seven hits, with three errors. Senior hurler JD Van Hook started the opener on the mound and tossed 4-2/3 innings. He allowed eight runs, including six earned runs, five hits, with five walks and six strikeouts. Senior reliever Jack Lindsay pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowing one hit. Alex Bagley pitched an inning of scoreless relief, striking out one batter.
Burr was 2-for-3 in his first collegiate game as he scored twice and drove in two runs. Gill was 2-for-4 with a double and scoring once.

Burr was hit by a pitch to open the game, and he scored three batters later on a wild pitch as the Thunder led 1-0 after one inning. Wheaton added two runs in the top of the second inning as Burr and Scott each hit a RBI-single to extend the Thunder lead to 3-0 after the top of the second inning. Covenant scored four runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-3 lead. The Scots added a run in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 5-3.

Wheaton scored twice in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 5-5. Burr hit a RBI-single in the fourth and catcher Caleb Kelley on a Covenant passed ball. Covenant did not score in the bottom of the fourth and Wheaton added a run in the top of the fifth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Gill led off the fifth inning with a double and scored later in the inning on a passed ball. The Scots responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take an 8-6 lead they would maintain for the win.
The two teams conclude their series with another doubleheader on Saturday. Game one of tomorrow's twinbill begins at 12:30 p.m. (EST).