BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – After combining for 36 runs in game one, the Illinois Wesleyan baseball team needed an eighth-inning comeback in game two to sweep North Park in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin doubleheader at Jack Horenberger Field in Bloomington on Tuesday, April 5.
 
The Titans are now 11-9 overall and 3-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin while the Vikings sit at 7-13 and 1-3 in the CCIW.
 
In game one, IWU trailed throughout, falling behind 5-0 after one and 6-4 after three. The Titans would take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth off of a Gino Cavalieri home run down the left field line to take a 12-11 lead before the Vikings would regain the lead in the top of the sixth. Illinois Wesleyan took a 15-14 the lead in the bottom of the seventh just to see North Park tie the game at 15 in the top of the eighth. IWU took the lead for good by scoring five runs in the bottom half of the frame to score 20-plus runs for the second game in a row while pounding out 24 hits. NPU would plate one run in the top of the ninth, but could not mount a comeback.
 
Sophomore Tim Smyk blasted two of IWU's four home runs in the game, finishing 4-5 at the plate and driving in four runs. Matthew Mardis finished with five RBI's, going 4-6 at the plate while Adam Glogovsky picked up four hits in six plate appearances.
 
The Titans used four pitchers in the game as starter Nick Brune threw the first three-plus innings of the game before being relieved by Louis Acklin. Acklin would go two and a third innings before making way for Ian McGinnis (1-1), who would wind up with the victory after tossing 2 and 2/3 innings. Brian Henry would close out the game by tossing the final inning, giving up one run on one hit.
 
In game two, Illinois Wesleyan would take a 1-0 lead after two innings of play before NPU would break out for four runs in the top of the third. Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh, IWU would push a run across to tie the game before North Park regained the lead in the top of the eighth. The Titans would put the tying run on base to start the inning before a sacrifice bunt and single tied the game at six. IWU would then score two more runs on a Mardis double to left center to take an 8-6 lead, allowing for Tim Smyk (1-1) to close out the game to pick up the win.
 
Glogovsky drove in three of IWU's eight runs in the game, going 3-5 at the plate while Jacob Houghton went two-for-three with two runs scored.
 
What's Next?
A three-game CCIW road series at Carthage awaits the Titans starting with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 9.