Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

story by Jim Benson, The Pantagraph

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois Wesleyan's baseball team needed four more outs to gain a critical split of a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader.

Getting out of the cold surrounding Horenberger Field as quickly as possible would be a bonus, too.

The Titans failed on both counts Saturday.

Augustana scored two runs in the eighth inning of the second game to gain a 3-all tie. The Vikings then pushed across a run in the 10th to earn a 4-3 victory and finish off a sweep after winning the first game, 9-5.

“It was one of those mental toughness days,” said IWU coach Dennis Martel about playing in the chilly conditions. “They found a way to get some things done.”

IWU (23-12) and Augustana (24-12) are tied for third place with Wheaton in the bunched-up CCIW race with 10-8 marks, while North Central is 9-9. North Park leads at 10-6, with Elmhurst next at 9-7.

Martel figures the Titans might need to win two of three games next weekend against Elmhurst to make the top four for the CCIW Tournament starting May 10.

Kevin Callahan's long three-run homer in the third, which nearly cleared Franklin Avenue over the right field fence, seemed to be all IWU needed in the second game.

The Titans were ahead 3-1 in the eighth. After Augustana's Mike Barker led off with a single, IWU's Jeff Johnson induced a double-play grounder.

Augustana didn't hit the ball out of the infield the rest of the inning — and scored two runs thanks to four stolen bases and a wild pitch. The Vikings got two infield hits around a walk, while Joe Cecchi raced home on the back end of a double steal after IWU catcher A.J. Nathan tried to throw out Kyle Lenihan at second.

“He (Nathan) should have eaten the ball. He double clutched,” said Martel. “He didn't head check the guy at third, and as soon as he wound up (Cecchi) was coming.”

Nathan nearly won the game in the bottom of the ninth. With runners on first and second and two outs, Nathan ripped Josiah Martin's 3-2 pitch back at the Augustana pitcher. Martin knocked the ball down and scrambled to pick it up and throw out Nathan.

“That gave us a chance to win the game,” said Vikings' coach Greg Wallace.

Augustana took advantage in the 10th as Lenihan delivered a run-scoring two-out single off Anthony Kopp (2-1). IWU's Kevin Sullivan reached on a one-out error in the bottom of the inning and stole second, but Martin (4-1) was able to get the final two outs.

“I told them at the beginning of the day we would be out here six hours one way or another, so we might as well have fun with it,” said Wallace, whose team lost to IWU, 3-1, in Rock Island on Friday night.

Callahan and Mark McDermott were about IWU's only offensive threats. Callahan also hit a three-run homer in the first game, while McDermott had three hits in each game.

Augustana pounded out 17 hits off IWU starter John Frueh (0-1) and two relievers in the opener. The Vikings staked Seth Davis (3-1) to an 8-0 lead before Callahan connected in the fifth.

“We just didn't have good at-bats. Give credit to their pitching,” said Martel. “Their lefty in the first game I thought stuck it to us. We got behind early and our pitchers were not very good. In the second game they brought that lefty (Rick Erickson) in for about three innings and we didn't have a chance.”