BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Leading 4-1 after four innings of play, the Illinois Wesleyan baseball team broke through for six fifth inning runs to snag an 11-1 7-inning victory over visiting Carthage College in game one of a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin series at Jack Horenberger Field on Friday, April 24. 

IWU improves to 21-10 overall and sits half a game out of first place at 11-5 in the CCIW while Carthage is 22-8 and 10-6 in conference play. 

Senior Matt Hart (4-1) went the distance on the mound, giving up one run while scattering 11 hits and striking out seven. 

Illinois Wesleyan would put up two runs on the board in the first inning thanks in part to three consecutive walks to load the bases before junior first baseman Matthew Mardis would single to right field scoring senior second baseman Derek Idstein and senior centerfielder Tim Coonan. The Titans would add another two runs in the bottom of the third off a Red Men wild pitch and throwing error before Carthage would strike for a single run in the fourth. 

Having already scored twice in the inning to make the game 6-1, Coonan delivered the big blow with a bases-clearing triple to right center field to make the game 9-1. IWU scored once more in the fifth and added a single run in the sixth to put the Titans up 10 runs heading into the seventh, forcing a run rule after Carthage failed to put a run across. 

What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan and Carthage are scheduled to play a doubleheader at Horenberger Field Saturday starting at 12 p.m. pending weather.