Box Score

NCAA Division III Central Regional Web Site

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Freshman righthander Matt Hart provided eight strong innings to help the Illinois Wesleyan baseball team to a 3-2 win over Washington U. in the NCAA Division III Central Regional tournament at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn., on Thursday (May 17).

The Titans, who improved to 30-16, will play DePauw in an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The regional's No. 3-seed Tigers (34-13) were sent into the loser's bracket with a 10-2 loss to No. 5-seed Webster in the late game Thursday. The two regional unbeatens, Birmingham Southern and Webster, will play in Friday's noon game.

Hart (3-1) allowed only two runs on a ninth inning homer by the Bears' Andrew Dwoskin and scattered 10 hits while striking out three and walking none. Senior lefthander Pat Hayn picked up his second save of the year, pitching the final 1/3 of an inning, inducing Kyle Billig to fly out to centerfield with a runner on first.

IWU had runners on first and second with no one out in both the third and fourth innings and did not score.

Wesleyan plated two runs in the fifth when junior shortstop Zach Scott bunted his way on base and went to second on a sacrifice by senior leftfielder Mark McDermott. Junior catcher A.J. Nathan reached on a fielder's choice and Scott went to third on an error by Dwoskin, the Bears' third baseman. A sacrifice fly by junior first baseman Kevin Callahan scored Scott and a single throguh the right side by sophomore rightfielder Bobby Czarnowski brought home Nathan.

IWU tacked on an addition run in the sixth when sophomore designated hitter Johnathan Erickson led off with a double to left center, went to third on a fielder's choice and scored when junior third baseman Anthony Lopez grounded into a double play.