Illinois Wesleyan 5, Wheaton 3 - Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Senior righthander Jason Pankau struck out 11 in a complete game and sophomore first baseman Kevin Callahan got four hits as Illinois Wesleyan got a 5-3 win over Wheaton at Horenberger Field on Friday, April 8.

The No. 21-ranked Titans improved to 13-5 overall and 5-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin as Pankau is now 3-1 as he allowed 11 hits with no walks.

Including his 7-for-10 doubleheader against Augustana on Tuesday, Callahan now has 11 hits in his last 14 at bats for a .786 average so far this week.

IWU got a run in the second as Callahan led off with a single and freshman rightfielder Bobby Czarnowski reached on an error by the second baseman. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore catcher A.J. Nathan and freshman designated hitter Jonathan Erickson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Sophomore second baseman Anthony Lopez walked to bring home Callahan.

The Titans added two in the fourth as Callahan again led off with a single and Czarnowski was hit by a pitch. Again, Nathan sacrificed the runners along. Both then advanced on a balk and Czarnowski scored on an Erickson ground out.

IWU tacked on single runs in the seventh and eighth against the Thunder, who drop to 8-13 overall and 0-5 in the CCIW, having played three nationally-ranked teams this week.

Sophomore Phillip Tuttle was 2-for-4 at the plate for the Thunder, with a double and a run batted in. Freshman Desmond Cato was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Trey Martin was 2-for-4 with a RBI. Junior centerfielder Justin Zeller was 2-for-5, with a run scored.

Illinois Wesleyan senior third baseman Jeff Grodecki was hitless in five at bats and his school-record hitting streak ended at 29 games. He had topped the old mark of 28, set by Mick Curran in 2007.

The same two teams will square off for a doubleheader at 12 p.m. Saturday, April 9, in games being played at Benedictine University in Lisle.