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NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan baseball team bounced back from an 8-6 10-inning loss to Carthage to hand North Park a 9-7 loss and stay alive in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament on Saturday, May 15.
The No. 4-seed Titans (21-20) will face No. 3-seed Carthage (27-15) at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 16 and would need two wins to claim the tournament championship.

Illinois Wesleyan 9, North Park 7 - Box Score

The Titans jumped out to a first inning 6-0 lead in eliminating the Vikings, who fell to 28-15. North Park earlier in the day, ousted host and No. 1 seed North Central, 11-10.

The Titans' six runs in the first came on five hits. Senior second baseman Brett Moore was hit by a pitch, senior rightfielder Mike Morrissey walked and senior first baseman Casey McIntosh singled to score Moore. Kevin Sullivan was hit by a pitch to load the bases and, after a fielder's choice forced Morrissey, Junior third baseman Jeff Grodecki singled to score McIntosh and Sullivan. After freshman shortstop Zach Scott sacrificed the runners into scoring position, catcher Mark McDermott hit a single that scored Grodecki and Hopp to make the score 5-0. Batting for the second time, Morrissey smacked a single that scored McDermott.

IWU got 14 hits with Sullivan and Morrissey each getting three while McIntosh, McDermott and Grodecki each got two.

The pitching victory went to senior righthander Brent Kulavic, who worked 8 2/3 innings, struck out nine and allowed seven runs on 12 hits with two walks. Sullivan came in to get the final out with the go-ahead run at the plate.

Carthage 8, Illinois Wesleyan 6 (10 innings) - Box Score

In their first game of the day, the Titans plated three runs in the second to lead 3-0 as Ryan Hopp led off with a single and went to second on an error. Jeff Grodecki singled and Hopp advanced to third. After an out, Mark McDermott singled to score Hopp and Kraig Ladd doubled to bring home Grodecki. A groundout by Brett Moore scored McDermott.

Illinois Wesleyan scored an unearned run in the fourth inning and two unearned runs in the sixth as the Red Men were guilty of six errors. After Carthage scored three in the eighth and one in the ninth to tie the game, the Titans had a chance to win in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Kevin Sullivan, Hopp and Grodecki were all hit by pitch and loaded the bases. But Zach Scott struck out swinging and McDermott popped out to the shortstop, leaving the bases full of Titans.

Senior lefthander Joe Froelich (0-4) was the losing pitcher as he went the final five innngs in relief. He allowed six runs on 10 hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Starter Alex Tosi struck out six in the first five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and four walks.